BEATLES - PLEASE PLEASE ME - RAREST LABEL - EXTRA 33 1/3 - GOLD COVER - SUPERB

	£		267
	$		353

Please read the Terms and Conditions lower in the listing about payment, postage costs and insurance BEFORE placing a bid. Thank you.

I am happy to answer any questions, but please read the listing carefully before sending a question or placing a bid. I try to provide comprehensive details and information in every listing so the answers to most questions should be found below.

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During more than eight years of trading on ebay, I have received around 2,600 positive feedbacks from over 2,000 individual customers, almost all from the sale of vinyl records.

I take great pride in ensuring that my items are always described accurately and fairly. All my items come with a full money-back guarantee - if it's not as described, you can return it for a full refund. 

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THERE IS NO RESERVE PRICE ON THIS AUCTION - THE HIGHEST BIDDER WINS!

THIS ITEM WILL BE POSTED WITHIN ONE DAY OF PAYMENT.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE 12 PHOTOS IN THIS LISTING. USE THE SCROLL BAR BESIDE THE THUMBNAILS TO SEE THEM ALL.

This is the rarest of all mono copies of Please Please Me.

It has the very first yellow and black label - which came immediately after the black and gold copies - with the extra 33 1/3 on the labels (a mistake which was quickly changed). This was only used for a very brief period in the Spring of 1963.

The cover has the photo credit lining up with the end of the word 'Songs' (the same as the black/gold copies) and is an exceptionally clean example.

The record has the following matrix numbers:

Side 1: XEX 421-1N

Side 2: XEX 422-1N

Detailed description
Vinyl: The heavy (177 gram) vinyl looks superb. It has retained its original high sheen and certainly doesn't look like the average copy of Please Please Me. It has clearly been very well cared for. Under bright light, some hairlines, sleeve-removal lines and fine marks were visible, but there is nothing significant anywhere.  I have played the entire record and it sounds fantastic with almost nothing to report. I was listening intently through headphones and so I noticed some soft background noise in some of the quiet parts and the run-ins/outs, fades, silent grooves and intros and the occasional random click, but nothing significant. Side one plays almost flawlessly throughout with no clicks except for a couple in the silent run-out groove at the end of the side and a tiny hint of top-end distortion here and there, when listening through headphones. Side two plays nearly as well as side one, but there were a couple of random clicks and a bit more top-end distortion in the tracks near the end of the side (especially 'Twist and Shout'), but there is nothing loud or intrusive anywhere and I'm sure that most listeners wouldn't even notice these issues. This is a superb example and was a real pleasure to listen to. I would play-grade side one as EASILY Excellent (Ex) or better and side two also grades as Excellent (Ex), or perhaps just under. There aren't many early copies which sound as good as this, but finding one with the 'extra 33 1/3' labels that sounds like this must be very rare indeed.
Labels: Both labels look great with no damage, writing, etc, just spindle marking. The side 2 label has the MT tax code and a Factory Sample sticker. I am sometimes sceptical when I see a very rare record with a factory sample sticker on the label (in the past I have seen them used to hide damage on the labels) but this one looks genuine - it is positioned in the customary position and the label underneath shows no signs of damage.
Sleeve: The sleeve is really nice and clean with no writing, stains, stickers etc. There are some slight creases at the edges and corners. On the rear, the flipbacks are all intact, undamaged and near-perfect and the unlaminated rear is probably the cleanest I've seen on a 'Gold' cover. This would be easily the best one I've seen except for some damage to the top and bottom seams. Both have previously split near the opening (about an inch at the top and about five at the bottom) and these have been repaired from the inside. The top edge also has a couple of dents where it has been bashed. I have shown the bottom seam close-up in one of the pictures (I think it looks better in real life than in the photo) but both these seams are now fully intact and firm and perfectly able to hold the record for years to come. Were it not for these issues this would be an exceptional example of this original cover, but even with them, I believe that this is still a well-above-average example.
Edge wear: The top and bottom edges have been mentioned above. The spine is near-perfect with minimal wear and the text is all 100% readable. There are just very light signs of use at the opening.
Corner wear: There is light wear to the spine corners. The opening corners, especially the bottom one, have more prominent wear and had previously split as mentioned above, but they are now solid and firm.
Inner sleeve: Poly-lined Emitex inner sleeve is intact and perfectly useable. It has a minor split in one seam and some feathering/small nicks at the opening, but no major issues.

Detracting features not covered above:  None. This is an exceptional example of a very rare record.

Please check out my other items and take advantage of reduced postage costs for multiple buys.

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Information about descriptions.
My items are always described accurately and fairly. I always do my best to point out any blemishes which might detract from the item and all photographs are of the actual item you will get.

Play-graded vinyl: I play grade records where possible but I don't have time to play them all. I always state in the listing if I have played a record prior to describing it.

Visually-graded vinyl: Unless specifically stated in the listing, vinyl is visually graded.  A visual grading will identify physical flaws (such as scratches) and can help determine whether a record has been cared-for properly. I always do my best to give a fair assessment of any visible marks on the playing surface, but a visual grading will not identify noise or crackle caused by non-visible sources. Most of the records I sell are between thirty and fifty years old and so it is likely that there may be some background noise even if they look perfect. Please see Terms and Conditions below for my refunds policy for visually graded records.

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I have some very simple terms and conditions. Please read them and ensure that you understand them before bidding. Thank you.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

• My items are fully guaranteed - if it is not as described you can return it for a full refund, including postage. Refunds for visually graded records which are returned based upon the buyer's assessment of the record's playgrade, will not include postage costs in either direction.
• Your bid is binding, so please make sure you have READ and UNDERSTOOD the WHOLE LISTING before you bid. I will not accept returns where the buyer has not read or not understood something which is stated/shown in the listing.
  
• I accept Paypal and postal orders (in UK Sterling GBP) for all purchases.  I also accept cheques (in UK Sterling GBP) on orders OVER £50.
• Please pay for your item within three days of the auction closing. If you are intending to bid on other items and wish to pay when they have closed, please contact me to let me know. I reserve the right to cancel any transactions and offer the item to the second highest bidder if no contact or payment is made within three days.

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POSTAGE & PACKING

I care about the records I sell and believe that they need to be carefully and securely packaged to ensure that they survive their journey through the post. Vinyl is removed from the sleeve for posting and the contents will be protected with rigid cardboard stiffeners. All packages are labelled "Do not bend" and securely sealed with "FRAGILE" parcel tape.

I support the use of recycled materials and so I may sometimes use recycled packaging. If you wish your item to be sent in entirely new packaging please let me know before paying for it. Thanks.

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P&P charges

I try not to charge more for packing and posting your item than it actually costs me. I do not view P&P costs as a means of making money. But please remember it's not just the stamps - I need to cover the cost of postage and packing materials and associated fees and charges.

My prices are based on a weight of 550 grams (for a standard single LP, well packed with stiffeners etc). Depending on the precise weight of your parcel, you may end up paying a few pence more or a few pence less than it actually costs me, but if the amount charged by the post office is £2 or more under what I have charged you I will refund the difference.

Double LPs will be charged as two LPs, triple LPs will be charged as three LPs. Box sets etc will be charged according to weight.

UK P&P costs

UK Standard service - items valued below £50 are sent using first class recorded post. The cost for this is as follows:

One to four LPs (with a combined total value below £50) = £5.20.

UK Special Delivery - Any order valued over £50 will be sent fully insured using Royal Mail Special Delivery and the total cost of this will be £9.90 for one to four LPs and £13.00 for five or more LPs . Please wait for my invoice before paying.

Any order valued below £10 can be sent using second class standard mail, free of charge.

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Airmail (with tracking and insurance) to any country OUTSIDE the UK

Europe

First LP or 12" = £13.20, each additional LP or 12" add £2.00.

Rest of the world (anywhere outside Europe)

First LP or 12" = £17.20, each additional LP or 12" add £3.50.

Overseas orders weighing more than 2kg or valued over £500 may be split into two or more packages as appropriate so they can be sent using Royal Mail's Small Packet Rate, so please wait for my invoice on larger multiple purchases.

Customs declaration for overseas orders: Please note that for overseas orders outside the EU I need to complete a customs declaration and must enter the value of the package on the declaration.

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 If you have any queries please email BEFORE you bid.