Beatles "White Album" No 0002902 Mono UK 1st Press Fully Complete w/Spacer

	£		657
	$		871

 The Beatles

“The White Album”

First Pressing November 22nd 1968

PCS 7067/ PCS 7068

Mono

No 0002902

Here we have, arguably, one of the most iconic records of all known western music.

Each song on the sprawling double album The Beatles is an entity to itself, as the band touches on anything and everything it can. This makes for a frustratingly scattershot record or a singularly gripping musical experience, depending on your view, but what makes the so-called White Album interesting is its mess.

Never before had a rock record been so self-reflective, or so ironic; the Beach Boys send-up "Back in the U.S.S.R." and the British blooze parody "Yer Blues" are delivered straight-faced, so it's never clear if these are affectionate tributes or wicked satires. None of it sounds like it was meant to share album space together, but somehow The White Album creates its own style and sound through its mess.

Here we have a very first UK pressing of that very record!

This is the complete and original package with the four glossy pictures of the band, the top opening sleeve, the large colour poster and the super rare white spacer!

To find a complete 1st press white album is a rarity in itself, but to find one with such a low number as we have here makes this the holy grail of Beatles records!

The top opening fully laminated outer sleeve is the very 1st printing by Garrod and Lofthouse with the embossed lettering to “The Beatles” and the stamped grey number to the bottom right..

Both inner sleeves, as with all 1st presses, are fully black with a die-cut circular opening on one side to expose the Apple label.

The first variation label has the “33 1/3? text at the top line of the left side and “Sold in U.K. subject to resale price conditions, see price lists” text. The publishing year is printed with a small copyright symbol (p).

As with all first presses the labels are darker than subsequent releases.

All the inserts are fully original and not replicas in any which way.  This is how the record came in the winter of 1968 and this is how it is now!

So with all that we certainly have ourselves here a once in a lifetime, historic piece of music!

Matrix Numbers

Side 1:             XEX 709-1

Side 2:             XEX 710-1

Side 3:             XEX 711-1

Side 4:             XEX 712-1

Stampers.

Side 1:                   1          HR

Side 2:                   3          HH

Side 3:                   3          TH

  Side 4:                    6         GGG

Sleeve Condition.

The 1st print fully laminated gatefold Garrod and Lofthouse outer sleeve is in superb condition!  The 1st press sleeves are famous for yellowing but this example is simply beautiful! There are no rips, stains, tears or laminate lift to mention!  The wording on the spine is perfectly readable with only very minor wear.  There is some minor shelf wear to the corners, but none to the other edges which remain straight and sharp.  The colours are as vibrant as they were on the day of release.  The inside of the gatefold is near perfect! There is no writing on the sleeve whatsoever!  The rear of the sleeve is as good as the rest of the sleeve, looking fantastic, with only mild ring wear to mention.  The ridiculously low stamped No 0002902 sits perfectly at the bottom right, sloping as it should!  This really is a joy to hold!

 Excellent

Inner Sleeve Condition.

The 1st press die-cut black inner sleeves are in lovely condition with no writing, folding or bad splits.  One has a minor seam split to the bottom and the other a slight nick to the opening.  That is all there is to mention!

The sleeves hold the records perfectly as they should!

Excellent

“Extras” Conditions

The Hamilton collage “lip-stick” poster is in fantastic condition, with no splits, tears or writing at all!  The only sign of age is some mild discolouring on the open panel! The poster has never been pinned to the wall and I hasten a guess that it has rarely been opened!

Excellent

The four glossy original pictures of the band are in fantastic condition with only some mild folding to mention!  There are no signs of use, no sellotape marks and no writing! Splendid

Excellent

The rare paper spacer that was used to separate the pictures and posters and is so often lost over the years is in super condition with only one finger print mark on it!  There are no rips, tears, writing or folding!

Excellent

Label Condition.

The first press iconic “split apple” labels are in fantastic condition.  There are no rips, rubbing, writing or stains to mention.  There is no centre hole damage at all.  Under a strong light invisible spindles can be seen but it is clear to see that these records have been cared for! 

Excellent

Vinyl Visual Condition.

On first inspection the records look unplayed!  They all still retain their factory shine and lustre with no scratches or warping at all.  They all have that fresh “just pressed” look” Under a strong halogen light, minor hairlines can be seen here and there with some faint removal marks but nothing that can be felt!  It’s so very exceptional to see such rare records like this in lovely condition!

Very Good +

Vinyl Audio Condition.

The record sounds superb from start to finish!  There are no jumps, skips or distortion at all! I heard only the occasional static pop at full volume throughout the whole record and my system picks up every noise!  The dynamics of all the different instruments are so well defined and easily separable by the ear.  There was some occasional crackle but nothing that detracted from the unbelievably defined sound! This really is how the iconic record should be heard; it’s incomparable to later presses or other formats.  Utterly superb! 

Excellent

So there we have it… One of the rarest and earliest copies of The White Album that you are likely to ever see!

Fully complete with the uber-rare white spacer, poster, pictures and one of the lowest numbered sleeves to be seen for some time!

This truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity to own one of the most important pieces of twentieth century music!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Happy Bidding!

All my records will be sent first class, signed for and insured to their value!

I will package the records with extreme care, with hard stiffeners and the vinyl separate to the sleeve and inner, all housed in a Defenda locktab record box envelope.

 I try to be as honest as I can in my descriptions, taking as many pictures as possible, but if you don’t feel happy with your purchase, I offer no quibble full refunds as soon as the record is sent back.  I will not give partial refunds however, only full.  I think this is fair, Thanks!