Monkees- Birds, Bees and Monkees; Australian Mono; Original RCA/Colgems Issue

$

300

Hello, I am a long-time eBay seller - since October, 1999.  I have a 100% feedback record, so bid and buy with confidence.  I have collected records for many years and every record I offer comes from my personal collection.  The grade I specify for the vinyl is based upon a playback as well as a visual inspection.  The grade I assign for the cover and inserts (if any) is based upon a close visual inspection.  My grading standards are conservative - I believe that it does no one any good to inflate the grade of the record only to have the buyer be disappointed upon receipt and wish to return it.  I offer a full, no-questions-asked return policy on every record I sell except in very rare circumstances.  In those rare cases, I clearly state the condition of the record and explain why I cannot accept a return on it.
For sale today is an excellent copy of The Birds, The Bees and The Monkees issued by The Monkees in 1968.  This copy was the made on the RCA/Colgems label for the Australian market.  Importantly, the Australian release was produced with true mono sound (like the very rare US mono Colgems release).  Other countries, such as England and Canada, released this album in what is often called "fake mono" or "fold-down mono."  Even though more plentiful than the very rare US mono release, the Australian market was in 1968 much smaller than the American market, thus making the Australian mono issue a scarce to rare release. 
As to condition, the vinyl looks, and plays, in Near Mint condition.  Vinyl is shiny, grooves are sharp and clear.  It does show a few wispy lines, most likely from withdrawing from the vinyl from its inner sleeve, and then re-inserting it.  Nothing major and nothing that affects the play-back.
The labels look fine, but there are a few spindle-marks as seen in the photos.  Nothing distracting and no other issues.
The outer cover is conservatively graded as VG+.  The colors are vibrant, corners sharp and all seams are fully intact.  However, the Australian cover, unlike its American counterpart, was made out of a more flimsy cardboard that did not weather time as well.  This front and back of the outer cover show the very beginnings of a bit of ring-wear.  The back cover also has a few very light brown spots, mainly in the white part of the right side of the back cover.  Nothing alarming, but I mention them for completeness (see photos).
There is no original inner sleeve; however, since I purchased this album, I have stored the vinyl in a separate archival inner sleeve, which I then placed in a separate white outer cardboard cover to best preserve both the vinyl and original outer cover from further wear and tear.
A similar example of this Australian album recently sold on eBay for over $400.
 A great item, thanks for looking.  (Also, please look at my listing for the sealed original Canadian "fake mono" version of this album that I am currently offering.)