The Beatles Please Please Me 1st dick James press type 1a.

 Another rarer than rare record you are ever likely to see for sale, especially in this condition! (haha)

Featured on the newly updated information site beatlebay UK as a first press Type 1a(ia) , this copy was pressed on an even older machine that was typically last used in the late 50's.

The difference here, is the indented pressing outer rings which are consistent all the way around and on both sides. The Stampers for these are always 1H /1H and the usual tax code seen is WOTZ which is the earliest beatle tax code and not seen on any 1G standard copy. These are argued to have been released before them and were the very first editions to be pressed. The 1H / 1H stampers are the stampers used for this one and only run which could in fact be the default setting on this particular pressing machine, more info can be found on the website.

These are incredibly rare and only now are people realizing their place and tend to keep good ones if they come up.

VERY VERY VERY hard to get really good ones and mint ones I don't think exist, as in fact I don't think I've ever seen one. This one is very very nice and plays perfectly with both a 1.0mm Mono and a 0.7mm stereo needle.

I estimate there were not more than 250 of these ever pressed. Most were trashed at parties.
I have been on look out for these things for years and have collected approx. 8 in all that time.
Last one on here a few months ago went for £3400 plus Vat as was in France.
I saw one of these go for £5000 a few years ago now and a few can be found on Popsike.

Condition of this record is in EX condition and is my most excellent double so don't need to keep it. Labels considering are gold leaf again EX and the WOTZ tax code is very clear too.

The 1st press gold sleeve is an EX+/EX- copy with a truly excellent front with the MONO wording top right.

EMITEX sleeve (not shown) is included and is EX also with no rips.

The Labels are the real score here and these are lovely and Bright.

Please bid with confidence as full money back guarantee given if you feel this is not as described!

Free postage in the UK
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Here's some of the blurb on the Beatlebay website "1st Press - type 1a(ia).  Technically, the very first Gold & Black label was this one, and it was pressed on a standard 50's "Ringed" pressing machine that had default stampers set at 1H/1H. These had the very first label and typeset. Very rare to see this particular pressing with a deep groove to both sides.

As can be seen (& felt), there is a definite ring / ridge which is consistent all the way round & on both sides - (this differs from the 3/4 ring you occasionally see on any one side (1 or 2) on later types).

Actually there were two runs of this early label, one of which had the earliest Beatle Tax Code known -  "WOZT" in the centre near the spindle hole shown here on side 1".

A true rarity