BEATLES - PLEASE PLEASE ME - GENUINE ORIGINAL GOLD/BLACK MONO - 1ST PRESSING

	£		280
	$		371

THE BEATLES PLEASE PLEASE ME ALBUM - 1963

Welcome to the auction of The Beatles “Please Please Me Gold / Black Mono LP Album which is in its 50th anniversary year.

This rare album is a genuine original released on 22nd March 1963, 6 weeks prior to the stereo version release.

Parlophone:                PMC 1202

Matrix Numbers:         Side 1:  XEX 421 – 1N

                                  Side 2:  XEX 422 – 1N

Stamper Codes:          Side 1:   1 – O

                                 Side 2:   1 – M

Tax Code:                  ZT

The album is housed in an Ernest J. Day & Co front laminated cover with the large “mono” in the top right corner.  

The photo credit for the front cover “Photo: Angus McBean” is printed in the lower right corner. The text starts at the end of the second “s” in “songs”.

The inner sleeve is the original polythene-lined “Use Emitex” die-cut sleeve. 

This 1st pressing has the incorrect Dick James Mus.Co. (changed to “Northern Songs” on later pressings) credits for:

Side 1:      I Saw Her Standing There (T1), Misery (T2), Ask Me Why (T6) & Please Please Me (T7)

Side 2:      Do You Want To Know a Secret (T4) & There’s A Place (T6)

Parlophone used the ZT tax code from 10th April 1962 until 25th November 1962. First pressings of

“Please Please Me” should have the MT tax code in effect at the time they were pressed: howevergold

and black copies of the album normally have ZT or WOZT with later pressings having ZMT, MT,MKT

or KT  tax codes.

The Stampers 1-O & 1-M indicate that the very first Mother was used for the pressing of this album.

Tracks:

Side 1:  I Saw Her Standing There / Misery / Anna (Go To Him) /Chains / Boys /Ask Me Why / Please

            Please Me

Side 2:  Love Me Do / P.S. I Love You / Baby It’s You / Do You Want To Know A Secret / A Taste Of

            Honey / There’s A Place / Twist And Shout

CONDITION:

The Sleeve:

In my opinion the sleeve is in great condition for its age.

The original front laminated Ernest J. Day cover has the correct alignment of the “Photo: Angus McBean” credit.

The front of the cover is still bright and glossy but does have some light creasing to the laminate as you would expect after 50 years.  There is damage to the top and bottom right corners due to shelf wear and also to the lower left corner.

The spine is still crisp and the text is remarkably bright, clear and fully legible.

I have tried to take photos of all of the above so please look at these before bidding.

The back of the sleeve is bright and clean and in really good condition for its age but has suffered some damage to the top left corner where the flip-back has lifted and has exposed the top of that section of the sleeve. Again please check the photographs.

Inner Sleeve:

White “Use Emitex” polythene-lined, die-cut inner sleeve has survived the test of time well.  There is creasing to the top and bottom right corners, disc impression and a crease from top to die-cut section. The creasing has occured due to storage in the outer sleeve and not through rough handling. Some slight age discolouration to the top opening but no tears, rips, writing etc. Nothing you wouldn’t expect from an album as old as this and it still looks good and strong overall.

The Labels:

These are the original and much sought after gold and black labels and they are overall in very good condition.

Side 1:      The gold text is still bright, clear and vibrant. There are some spindle marks and there is also what I think is a slight “rubbing” mark under the PMC 1202. I have had this album from new but I can’t give an explanation for this mark. Sorry.

Side 2:      Again the gold text is still bright, clear and vibrant. This label is in excellent condition and

                has the KT tax code embossed across the middle, either side of the spindle hole which

                shows some spindle wear.

The Vinyl:

The early pressings of this album were manufactured on very thick vinyl which is renowned for its fantastic audio.

I have play checked this through from start to finish and realised that I had forgotten what a really feel good, fantastic album this is.

It’s difficult to describe the audio except to say that it sounded crisp, clear, warm, deep and full bodied. It was an absolute pleasure to listen to and it took me back to my misspent youth!!

Please be aware that I do not have “state of the art” all singing all dancing equipment just a bog standard turntable. So can only judge the quality of sound as produced by my specific turntable 

Side 1:      

Visual:

I don’t have halogen lamps so can only give a naked eye guide. The vinyl has a great shine with a few

surface marks that are by no means intrusive. There is a mark on Track 6 which always seems to

have been there.  This is quite obvious to the naked eye but again is not audible and does not affect

the fantastic quality of sound. None of the above are feelable.

Audio:

As I have already mentioned the sound quality is fantastic, however there are some minor clicks? On

Misery (T2 and Anna (Go To Him) (T3). There is also a slight jump on Anna (T3)

There is minor surface noise between tracks 4 & 5 but nothing I was concerned about.

All other tracks are amazingly clear and crisp with no surface noise either during or in between tracks.

All in all this is a fantastic Side 1 with only a minimum of interference.

Side 2:

Visual:

As with side 1 the vinyl has a great glossy shine. I picked up on perhaps 4 slight surface marks which again aren’t intrusive or feelable and may come off with a professional clean.

Audio:

I didn’t hear any sticks, clicks, pops, or jumps whilst playing Side 2. Absolutely stunning audio. Loved it!!!

This is a brilliant example of an amazing album.

I have tried to be completely honest but if you have any queries whatsoever please let me know.

Thank you for your time. Happy Bidding.

Please let me know if there are any problems with the order and I will endeavour to rectify these with you.

I am only able to get to the post office on Fridays, so unless I can get there before then your album will be despatched on the first Friday after payment has cleared.  If this poses a problem for you please contact me.

This item will be sent 1st Class, signed for and insured.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will be only too pleased to help if I can.