Beatles: Please Please Me UK Mono early edition

$

53

 I have years of familiarity with selling used records, but I don't profess to be an expert on the arcane aspects of Beatles product. Here is my best assessment of what I think I have based on my experience and research.

Beatles: Please Please Me - UK Parlophone mono, catalog # PMC 1202, master numbers XEX 421 and XEX 422.  Stamp numbers XEX 421-1N and XEX 422-1N.  Add'l stamp markings on inner band read RRD on side 1 and RPD on side 2. These are very faint.  Disc label bears the yellow Parlophone logo and the "recording first published 1963" notation.  Dick James Music co. only credited on side 1.  The cover is that thing that I believe is referred to as three-flap or three foldover Garrod & Lofthouse cover.  Jacket also has the "recording first published in 1963" notation.  Inner sleeve is the Emitex rice paper sleeve.

This LP was given to me by a British woman who bought in her home town in the UK when she was just seventeen...but not sure exactly which year.  All of this leads me to speculate it is perhaps a 4th pressing?  But that is speculation. 

Eyeballing everything, it has the look and feel and smell of a record from the 60's.  Now about condition.

Vinyl still has a very glossy sheen.  Both sides look remarkably pristine.  Both sides do have small scratches and scuff marks from handling as follows:
Side 1

 - faint single scuff mark across all of track 1 and halfway into track 2.  Visible, not audible.
 - faint, narrow scuff mark from start of track 3 to end of track 6.  Visible, but only audible in faintest parts of track. No skip.

Side 2
- Scratch on track 1 for about 1mm.  Love Me Do.  Visible, audible pop for about six revolutions, no skip
- Scratch across second half of track 3.  Visible, only audible in faintest parts of track.  No skip.
- Scratch across track 4 - Do You Want to Know a Secret. Audible, fairly loud pop almost throughout the song.  No skip.  This is the worst blemish on the record.
(All of these are of near identical shape, size and angle - some odd projection on this person's phonograph perhaps?)
- Scuff marks from a single incident of sliding LP across another surface from track 2 - track 4.  Causes faint popping audible only in faintest parts and in between songs.

I have played the entire LP with a professional turntable and shibata  stylus at 1.5 grams with Sennheisers.  I can't tell you how remarkable these mixes sound to this day and what noise there is in the grooves, other than on about five turns of Love Me Do, and through almost all of Do You Want to Know a secret, I couldn't notice anything to detract from the mix.
  There are spindle marks on both disc labels, but faint.

The cover is in extremely good condition, esp the front and the spines. 
Spines -  No splits, only the smallest amount of wear on bottom left and right corners.  The opening has some flaring.
Front - a little pucker just left of the MONO and at bottom right over August McBean credit.  If you tilt the record and get light to flare off of it just right you can barely see what looks like impressions from someone who used it to lean on when writing.  But you  REALLY have to look for these.  They are not apparent upon casual inspection.   The back has some discoloration, possibly from some humidity.  These are localized to the open end side to the left of the song titles, and a couple spots to the right of the album title.  The edges of the fold-over flaps have picked up sufficient dust and dirt over the years to make their edges dark.  All flaps are still 100%  secure, and not doctored to do so.  The Emitex inner sleeve has a split on one side about 1/4th of its length. in the center and paper has lifted from rice paper in the center for about 1/2" along the diameter of the center cut.

In order to avoid controversy, I am stating that this is being sold in as is condition, no returns, but it is truly a wonderful looking piece with a cover that has stood up splendidly over the years.  Vinyl looks and sounds fantastic for a record of this age.  In fact, I am fighting the urge to keep the darned thing, but I made a promise to my Brit friend I'd sell this and other items of theres.  If you have a Beatles fan in your family, this is truly a well kept relic of the golden age.  If you are a dealer,  I believe this will re-sell.

I ship LP's with an outer plastic sleeve, in custom cardboard shippers with cardboard stiffeners and bubble wrap.  I'll sell/ship anywhere including overseas.  Shipping costs will be whatever the actual costs are plus 75 cents for time & materials.  Paypal only please.  Please, if you get the winning bid don't send payment until we can agree on shipping arrangements and costs to your satisfaction.  Insurance would be your obligation and at your cost.  Shipping listed is for USPS priority domestic.
Happy bidding.