Sold Date: May 18, 2014
Start Date: May 8, 2014
Final Price: £30.00 (GBP)
Bid Count: 1
Seller Feedback: 269
Buyer Feedback: 27

This item is not for sale. Gripsweat is an archive of past sales and auctions, none of the items are available for purchase.

Hard-to-find, ORIGINAL U.K. 1993 Island Records pressing of U2’s ‘Zooropa’ L.P. (Catalogue Reference: Island Records U29 518047-1).  This consists of a single sleeve which crucially still retains the lyric insert and the vinyl is stored inside a thick card inner sleeve.  The vinyl is a decent quality pressing (some of these 90s pressings were hit-and-miss affairs) and the matrixes read: ‘NINA S-A-3 U29 A-1 / NINA S-B-2 U29 B-3’ which certainly qualifies this as an early pressings if not the first pressing.  While this copy has seen some play it has questionably seen heavy play and is still in pretty superior condition.  The sleeve in particular looks like it was pressed yesterday and not 20 years ago.  Grading the vinyl under an intense light there are a limited number of grubby fingerprints on the playing surface but these have largely not left any lasting impression (such as hairline markings).  If you look really hard there are isolated hairline markings which are characteristic of the heavy card inner which the vinyl is stored in.  The vinyl still retains a nice glossy appearance and there are no marks of substance (which can be seen in normal daylight or which can be felt).  The vinyl is graded as being in EXCELLENT+ condition.  You’re going to struggle to find a superior copy.  I should note that aside from some spindle ‘drags’ which can be seen if the labels are angled under a light that they are otherwise immaculate.  These early 90s blue or black (black here) labels tend to show-up all handling with ease and once you’ve got grease on the labels you can’t remove it.  The inner sleeve is in pretty immaculate condition.  Crucially, the vinyl hasn’t broken through which is something you tend to see when a record has been sold and sold again (and the vinyl has been stored separately).  There is a ‘suggestion’ of a bend to one corner and a couple of creases near the opening edge where the inner sleeve has been gripped between the fingertips whilst the vinyl is removed but these are really not obvious.  The inner sleeve is very much in EXCELLENT+/NEAR MINT territory.  As noted above the outer sleeve really doesn’t show it’s age and the flaws that I list below are all quite minor.  There is a minimal amount of wear to each corner (to say each corner has frayed a little would probably be an exaggeration).  I note one light crease on the front of the sleeve near the opening edge where the sleeve has been gripped between the fingertips which the vinyl has been removed.  If you look really hard you can see very limited impressions in the soft cardboard (in reality you need to angle the sleeve under a light).  Like the inner sleeve the outer sleeve is graded as being in EXCELLENT+/NEAR MINT condition and you’d think this was a re-issue (not an original).  The insert is present and has a curiously plastic feel to it.  It has obviously been handled as it has marks characteristic of it having bent around someone’s fingertips.  There aren’t really creases as such and there aren’t any tears only the aforementioned bends which are relatively obvious.  The insert is conservatively graded as being in VERY GOOD+ condition.

Condition

VINYL – EXCELLENT+

Inner SLEEVE – EXCELLENT+/NEAR MINT

SLEEVE – EXCELLENT+/NEAR MINT

INSERT – VERY GOOD+

Final Remarks

This is a pretty stunning copy of this and you’re not going to need to upgrade!  Please check my other auctions for a large selection of Pop, R&B, Rock and Soul collectables in similarly immaculate condition.  Save me as a favourite seller as there is plenty more where this came from!

General Conditions & Information

I have been a collector for in excess of 15 years now and regard myself as a conservative grader.  I know from experience that there is nothing worse than buying an item which is described with superlatives only for it to arrive and look like it has been scrapped along the floor (!).  As a rule I don’t submit anything to auction which I wouldn’t be happy receiving myself.  I endeavour to be accurate with my grading and all items are graded under an intense light.  Please take a look through my feedback as I’d like to think it speaks for itself. 

Returns Policy

If you are not entirely happy with your purchase then please contact me within 7 days of receipt.  The buyer is expected to meet the return postage costs.

Payment Methods

Domestic buyers can pay via Cheque, PayPal or Postal Order.  Overseas buyers are always welcome and are required to pay via PayPal.  Payment is expected within 7 days of auction end unless otherwise agreed.

Postage Costs

I have had to bring my service in-line with changes to Royal Mail Terms and Conditions effective of April 2013.  Previously items sent via standard post were automatically covered up to the value of £46.00 however, standard postage now only covers items up to the value of £20.00.  Items with an opening value >£20.00 will include domestic Signed For postage costs automatically.  Items with an opening value <=£20.00 and which complete with a value <=£20.00 will continue to be dispatched via standard post unless otherwise agreed (i.e. the buyer indicates a preference otherwise).  Items which have an opening value <=£20.00 but whose final value is >£20.00 will be subject to enhanced postage costs in order to cover the extra insurance which is required.  I hope this is as straightforward as I can make it?  Ultimately, please don’t make payment until you’ve received an invoice from me and if you aren’t happy with the invoice you receive then I’m always open to discussion.  Buyers should be aware that both Ebay and PayPal take a % of postage charges (i.e. they are higher than I’d ideally want them to be).

Multiple purchases will be subject to consolidated postage costs.  I will contact you at the end of the auction to confirm these costs.

Proof of postage is always obtained and retained.

Overseas Buyers

As noted above Overseas buyers are welcome.  If you want me to investigate potential postage costs in advance of the auction’s end then please feel free to contact me.