Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here original 1975 vinyl pinched spine - SEALED
Pink Floyd
Wish You Were Here
EMI/Harvest 1975
*Please note that the last two photos are of an unsealed copy for comparison. This listing is for a sealed copy*
This is a still-sealed, original 1975 pressing of Wish You Were Here, the classic follow up to Dark Side of the Moon.
It is impossible to check the runout details and labels without opening the wrapper to verify the pressing but, having researched Discogs, the Pink Floyd Archives and other listings on eBay it would appear that this is the original issue.
Firstly, it is possible to see, due to tightness of the shrinkwrap, that the spine has tapered or pinched ends, which the first issue sleeves have.
Secondly, the shrinkwrap is thick, opaque plastic. On later issues the wrapper was thinner, slightly translucent and of a more crackly cellophane.
This record weighs 256g. I have weighed another first issue copy which weighs 246g without the shrinkwrap or postcard.
There are two perfectly circular holes in the shrinkwrap, one on the front and one on the back. The Pink Floyd Archives talk of pin-hole air vents in the plastic on first issues, coming in two types, either with just the one or with multiple. This copy certainly doesn't have the multiple pinholes but my guess is that these circular holes are the original pinhole air vents that have become enlarged over time as the wrapper shrinks. I have now seen two listings on eBay with these same holes but where the seal has been opened to reveal the first issues A1 B3 runout codes on the vinyl (see photos).
It is, of course, very tempting to open it up and check inside, but I will refrain from doing this as - in my opinion - it is best kept as a time capsule copy, with the presumption that inside is a MINT vinyl - potentially with the earliest A1 B3 matrix codes, the glossy postcard and card inner sleeve. The outer sleeve will be Near Mint as the plastic has shrunk at the corners and there are slight bends at the spine ends where it tapers.
Needless to say, a very sought after, holy grail item, that would become a focal point in any Floyd collection.
