THE BEATLES - WHITE ALBUM Orig UK 1st Press MONO 2xLP (APPLE) LOW-NUMBER 0009567

	£		206
	$		273

The Beatles - The Beatles (White Album) MONO.

UK 1st Press. No.0009567

(First day or two of release).

Please read through my full description below...

The iconic White Album gatefold cover sleeve:

EARLY number: No. 0009567. The Richard Hamilton (pop artist) designed, top-opening sleeve shows glossy lamination inside and outside. It is in very respectable condition.

There is some usual discolouration towards the edges and corners.  A few laminate creases (not cover creases) and a couple of compressed corners but overall in respectable fine condition throughout.  There is no missing laminate other than two small areas along the rear spine, where some age old grub and dirt has darkened these areas. There is no undulation or rippling to the sleeve inside or outside - it retains its original flat quality.

Genuinely a piece of 1960’s Great British cultural heritage. This sleeve alone is an artefact of significant importance in the history of music and popular culture.

This early numbered sleeve is the main point of interest here, since the vinyl discs have a few playing issues (read full play-graded description below). This would have been a day of release issue - perhaps the second day.

I’m confident to grade the sleeve overall as Excellent (Ex).

Black paper inner sleeves:

The set includes both black paper inner sleeves each with a circular die cut on one side. There are a couple of short tears visible around the circle cut outs, but no missing pieces.

Inserts:

Unfortunately the four colour photos and the large fold-out poster are missing.

Vinyl:

The vinyl discs have been play-graded in detail. Here is a rundown of the playback...

Side 1:

Play graded.

Background crackle plays throughout. Most noticeable on Dear Prudence intro, during other quieter tracks and leading in between tracks. The rest of Side 1 plays through pretty well, until an unfortunate sticking repeat mid-way through ‘Happiness Is a Warm Gun’ around the time just before the “Mother Superior jumped the gun” lyric - before the track segues into the “Happiness Is A Warm Gun” lyric. The stand out track ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ sounds great too. Side 1 grades Good (G) to Very Good (VG).

Side 2:

Play graded.

Background crackle plays throughout, during tracks and more noticeably between tracks.

There are some pops and small skips (but no sticking repeats)  on the intro section of ‘Martha My Dear’. Some more noticeable crackle towards the end of Side 2 and the track ‘Julia’. The entire side play grades Very Good (VG).

Side 3:

Play graded.

The lead in to the first track ‘Birthday’ is surprisingly clear and free from the lead-in noise on Sides 1 and 2. The rest of Side 3 plays through without other major issues and sounds brilliant. Entire playback for this side grades as Excellent (EX).

Side 4:

Play graded.

The lead in to the first track ‘Revolution’ is again surprisingly clear. One of the stand out tracks from the album for sure. The entire side plays through really well. Some more audible crackle at the beginning on Revolution 9. I would grade the playback on Side 4 as Excellent (EX).

Side 1 matrix: XEX 709-1        1 (at 9 o’clock)       P (at 3 o’clock)

Side 2 matrix: XEX 710-1        4 (at 9 o’clock)       O (at 3 o’clock)

Side 3 matrix: XEX 711-1        1 (at 9 o’clock)       RD (at 3 o’clock)

Side 2 matrix: XEX 712-1        1 (at 9 o’clock)       RA  (at 3 o’clock)

General notes:

The vinyl records could probably benefit from a professional clean. It may or may not improve some of the issues mentioned above on sides 1 and 2. The second disc is considerably better. However as I have stated, the main interest here is the fairly low numbered sleeve.  Sleeve numbers under 00010000 rarely surface for sale and when they do, if they are in super collector-grade Ex+ or Near Mint condition, they can sell for many £1,000’s.  Here is a more affordable copy to enjoy owning.