The Beatles, White Album No. 0000865 1968 Original UK MONO 1st Press

So here it is, your 1 in 999 chance to own one of the first 1000 copies of The Beatles most iconic album. Sleeves with serial numbers this low are becoming increasingly scarce as they get locked away in. To top it off this copy is complete with all original inners and has excellent discs with ultra low mother stampers. For UK buyers collection is the preferred method.

This way you can visually inspect and play the record before purchasing. I'll also get the chance to meet the lucky new owner, which would be great! Please contact me to discuss this before purchasing.

International buyers please also check the import duty that is relevant for your region. OK now for the good stuff. There are many features unique to a true first pressing and this record is correct in every detail. You will see that the sleeve has. Stamped serial number in light grey ink. Flipbacks stuck vertically on the centrefold. Track listing and four portraits printed on either side of the centrefold.

No text or images on the rear; and. The Beatles''STEREO PCS 7067/8''MONO PMC 7067/8' printed on the spine. Inside the sleeve you will find all the original'inners' that would have been included with the record in 1968. 4 portrait photo cards printed on'thick' card.

Very rare white photo card spacer. Original A2 size'lipstick' poster with 6 folds; and.

2 die cut, black inner sleeves. Whilst the sleeve is obviously extremely sought after, the discs are just as rare. In record shops, discs were kept separate from the sleeves to stop them being stolen. Discs were randomly paired with the sleeve by the shop assistant.

Consequently, a sleeve with a low serial number does not. Have discs from an early pressing. Fortunately, this copy has both! As is expected of a first pressing, the discs feature. Dark green Apple logo on the labels of side 1 and 3.

No'An EMI Recording' text printed on any of the 4 labels. Text printed on all 4 labels; and. The matrix numbers: XEX 709-1, XEX 710-1, XEX 711-1, and XEX 712-1 stamped in the run-out. Not only were the discs pressed from the very first master plates (as seen by the -1 matrix numbers) they were also cut from very early mother stampers.

The Stamper codes for each side are. The master plate is the original lacquer cut by a'master engineer' from the analogue recording. It creates'mother plates', and mother plates, in turn, are used to create the'stampers'.

In the 1960's, each stamper was used to stamp about 300 records. Over time, the metal parts of the mother stampers. And so does the sound quality of records pressed using them. In the language of EMI stamper codes (GRAMOPHLTD = 1234567890), TA=93, L=8, and A=3. In short, these discs are really early pressings which give a fantastic reproduction of the sound The Beatles intended us to hear. You will be surprised by the details that you hear on these discs that you simply do not on later pressings! OK, now for the nitty gritty.. I have tried to take photographs that provide an honest representation of the condition of the sleeve, the discs and the inners. For completeness, I will provide a detailed description below.

I will also include a breakdown of the audio quality of each side of both of the discs. Overall the sleeve looks great and would improve any room if it was hung on the wall in a frame. All four sides are remarkably clean and retain their original gloss sheen. The embossed'THE BEATLES' text is still really distinct and the serial number is as sharp as the day it was stamped. The openings are crisp, with minimal fraying, and the laminate has no bubbling with only a few short ripples.

Used and enjoyed throughout its 55 year long lifespan, though. And consequentially shows some signs of age related wear. The laminate on the spine has come unstuck in places. Consequently, not all of the printed text is legible and there is a 4cm (2) rip half-way up. On the front, there is a light stain in the bottom right hand corner. There is a pin point blemish 5cm (2) above'The Beatles' embossed text. There is a subtle yellowing to all four faces. The corners are slightly rounded; and. There is a slight impression at the bottom of the rear presumably from being placed in a record holder. To clarify, the rip on the spine is only on the external sleeve - the spine in the centrefold shows no signs of wear and internally it is in good condition. This is a very honest appraisal of every defect that I can find on the sleeve. And, to be honest, I prefer an album like this to show some signs of use. As previously stated, the album comes complete with all original inners. The four photo cards are near mint. The corners are sharp, the colours are bright and there are no creases, folds, scuffs or marks of any kind. Also included is the very rare photo card spacer. Generally this was thrown away so not many copies have it with them.

It is in excellent condition. The corners are sharp and on the whole it is very white but there are a few spots that are discoloured. Here is nothing wrong; no folds, creases or major blemishes.

The poster is as new. The corners are sharp, the folds are crisp, and again, there. Are no additional creases, scuffs or marks of any kind. The die cut black inners are notoriously bad for getting ripped, especially around the hole. I grade these as very good plus. They both have a very small tears at the centre, ring wear and creasing around the corners.

One has a couple of small tears at the opening. Otherwise there are no seam splits or folds. Also included are two audiophile quality anti-static inner sleeves that the records are stored within. I have a few white albums and this was always my favourite copy to listen to whenever I was brave enough to take it out of the sleeve. I will give both a visual and an oral description for each side of each of the discs separately below.

I have not commented on the condition of the labels as I believe the photos say more than I could. The grading given above is an average over all of the 4 sides. Before I get into the individual descriptions, it is important to note that all four sides have a couple of small areas with spots which I believe to be mildew residue. Whilst they are visible under a bright light they cannot be felt and in no way affect the sound quality. I have cleaned them thoroughly with.

L'Art Du Son vinyl record cleaning solution to remove any residual fungus and to prevent any further deterioration. Clearly at some point the discs were stored in an unventilated environment. I should also add that the slight differences in colour visible in the photographs is due to the reflection of clouds through my window (that are ever present in England) rather than any blemishes.

Side 1: XEX 709-1 3 TA. The mildew residue is present in two small areas. One is 2cm by 2cm and the other 5cm by 2cm. It still retains the original sheen and shows no visible signs of groove wear. Audibly Side 1 is excellent.

Back in the USSR' has 5 small pops at the very start of the track. Dear Prudence' has a subtle but audible background crackle for 30 seconds during the middle of the song. Otherwise there are no faults. There is minimal background noise and no distortion. Vocals are crisp, guitars flowing and the percussion is vibrant.

Side 2: XEX 710-1 3 TH. Side 2 has no'feelable' scratches and only a handful of surface hairline marks. The mildew residue is dispersed along a 2cm band that is approximately 10cm long.

It is not constant throughout this area but instead in patches. It still retains the original gloss sheen and has no visible signs of groove wear. Side 2 can make or break a White Album. Blackbird' is always my test for the quality of a pressing and it is as good as I have ever heard on this disc. There is virtually no background noise. There are two points to note;'Martha my Dear' has 4 quiet pops at the very start of the track and Julia has 5 at the very end. There is remarkably little background noise (less than side 1) and no distortion. (Apologies for the photo quality - it will be updated shortly). Visually Side 3 is in the best condition. There are no'feelable' scratches and very few surface hairlines. I would say that there are none but I have probably missed a couple. T still retains the original gloss sheen and has no visible signs of groove wear. Helter Skelter is one of my favourite Beatles songs so I might be slightly biased, but Side 3 really does sound fantastic. The percussion, specifically the symbols, have remarkable clarity - there is a distinct beginning and end to the sound. The vocals are clear, crisp and the other instruments are all superbly defined. Only one defect,'Long Long Long' has 6 quiet pops at the very end of the track. There is exceptionally little background noise (less than side 2) and no distortion. Side 4: XEX 712-1 1 A. As can be seen in the photo, Side 4 has a light paper scuff to the right of the label. There is a hairline mark that goes across'Cry Baby Cry' and into'Revolution 9'.

Otherwise there are no'feelable' scratches and very few hairlines marks. Strangely, the mildew is most pronounced on Side 4. There is a small patch to the left of the label and a long, thin dispersed region from the bottom to right of the disc. There is very little to say about the audio on Side 4. It would be very difficult to find a disc that sounds any better than this.

After listening to it I often feel like starting a revolution. Or that I've just lived through one. It is difficult to place a value on a record that is as rare and as highly sort after as this. You are looking at a piece of music history that is only going to increase in value. I will be sad to see it go.

Check out my other items for some more treasures. The item "The Beatles, White Album No. 0000865 1968 Original UK MONO 1st Press" is in sale since Monday, April 19, 2021.

This item is in the category "Music\Vinyl Records". The seller is "triumphant59" and is located in Market Rasen. This item can be shipped worldwide.

• Format: Record
• Record Size: 12"
• Features: Numbered
• Title: The Beatles
• Duration: Double LP
• Album Name: The White Album
• Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom
• Material: Vinyl
• Speed: 33 RPM
• Edition: First Pressing
• Record Label: Apple Records
• Case Type: Cardboard Sleeve
• Language: English
• Sleeve Grading: Very Good (VG)
• Artist: The Beatles
• Record Grading: Excellent (EX)
• Release Year: 1968
• Style: Experimental Rock
• Genre: Rock
• Era: 1960
• Type: Album