BOWIE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD ORIGINAL USA MERCURY STAMPED MATRIX, NO DRILL HOLE

	£		350
	$		464

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This is a 1st USA pressing with stamped matrix numbers. It is not a reissue or a bootleg/counterfeit copy. This is an exceptional example, with superb audio and an unsplit, original cover. But what makes this really rare is that the cover has no drill-hole!

First released on November 4th 1970 in the USA (which was nearly six months before it was issued in the UK) The Man Who Sold the World received positive reviews and saw a publicity push from Mercury which resulted in Bowie’s first ever trip to America for a small promotional tour in February 1971.

Despite the promotional activity and good reviews the album was not a commercial success and by the end of June 1971 it had sold only 1,395 copies in the US (far fewer than the sales of the sought-after ‘dress cover’ which Mercury released in the UK in April 1971).

Remaining stocks of the USA album were then sold as discounted 'cutouts' (in record store bargain bins with a drill hole in the cover).

Shortly after this, Bowie became a star and counterfeiters saw an opportunity to make some easy-money by producing fake copies of these cutouts. Over a period of about three years this record was faked numerous times with increasingly poor quality, particularly with regard to the vinyl which sounds truly awful on some of the later counterfeits.

Not to be confused with these very common counterfeits, this is a genuine first pressing with stamped matrix numbers (all the counterfeits have etched matrix numbers) and the original cover with deeper colours and a slight sheen and no cutout hole. So, this is one of the original 1,395 copies!

With the counterfeit copies believed to outnumber the genuine ones by at least twenty-to-one (some estimates put it as high as one in a hundred), and the vast majority of genuine copies having a cutout hole on the cover, the rarity of these originals is often overlooked.

This has the following stamped matrix numbers:

Side one: SR 61325-A-M2

Side two: SR 61325-B-M1

Description
Disc: The vinyl looks great and has retained its original sheen. There are a handful of surface marks and hairlines, but there's nothing bad anywhere.  I've played the whole record in full from start to finish and it plays superbly with almost nothing to report. For the sake of completeness I would mention some minor background noise in the run-ins/outs, fades, silent grooves and intros and the occasional random, solitary click. Side one has nothing else to add and so I would play-grade side one as Near Mint (NM). Side two is just as good except for the quiet acoustic guitar/vocal intro to 'Running Gun Blues' where there are a few clicks, but these are mainly only noticeable because the intro to the song is very quiet - as soon as the rest of the band comes-in the track sounds superb. Most of side two would play-grade as Near Mint (NM) but to allow for the small issues in the intro to 'Running Gun Blues' I will play-grade side two overall as Excellent (Ex).

Labels: No tears, stickers, writing etc, and minimal spindle marking, just some slight colour-fading.

Sleeve: The sleeve is a superb example with some minor surface rubbing to the vibrant colours, but very few other signs of wear or age. There are no splits to any of the seams, virtually no edge-wear and only very minimal corner-wear. This is a superbly well-preserved example and it has no drill hole! Considering the rarity of these original covers without a drill-hole, I think it would be almost impossible to find a better one than this.

Detracting features not covered above:  None.

All photographs are of the actual item for sale. Please ask any questions before you bid or buy.

Where gradings are given these are based on the UK Record Collector grading system (see below) and are visual gradings only, unless the listing specifically states that it is a play-grading.

I use the UK RECORD COLLECTOR GRADING SYSTEM. This grading system differs from some other grading systems, in particular the Goldmine grading system. Please make sure that you are familiar with the UK record collector grading system before you bid.

Mint: The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality. The cover and any extra items such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition. Records advertised as Sealed or Unplayed should be Mint.

Excellent: The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. The cover and packag­ing might have slight wear and/or creasing.

Very Good: The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable sur­face marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable.

Good: The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and contents suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discoloration, etc.

Fair: The record is still just playable but has not been cared for prop­erly and displays considerable surface noise; it may even jump. The cover and contents will be torn, stained and/or defaced.

Poor: The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc. The cover and contents will be badly damaged or partly missing.

Bad: The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection-filler.

Plus (+) or Minus (-) are added where items fall between gradings. I only ever use one plus or minus.

P&P costs as follows:

UK:

First LP or 12" record = £5.95, each additional item no extra P&P charge.

First 7" record = £3.95, each additional item no extra P&P charge.

Europe:

First LP or 12" record = £14.95, each additional item = an extra £2.20 P&P charge.

First 7" record = £11.95, each additional item = an extra £1.00 P&P charge.

Rest of the world:

First LP or 12" record = £24.95, each additional item = an extra £2.20 P&P charge.

First 7" record = £14.95, each additional item = an extra £1.00 P&P charge.