Sold Date: March 3, 2022
Start Date: February 27, 2022
Final Price: £400.00 (GBP)
Seller Feedback: 723
Buyer Feedback: 0

THE BEATLES
PLEASE PLEASE ME
PMC 1202
1963 1st PRESSING DICK JAMES CREDITS GOLD TYPEFACE LABEL
A particularly rare 1st issue Dick James error credits Gold here having 1 A/ 1 M mother & stamper combinations (3rd and 4th stampers from the 1st mothers). Would’ve been pressed on the 1st day of production or very soon after, back in March 1963, and would've been amongst the first batch into the record stores.
The sleeve is actually not the very 1st version having the Angus McBean photo credit being aligned to the far right, it has probably been swapped by a previous owner from the original sleeve.  I have handled quite a few early pressings, and the front pictorial’s contrast/ hue is the same as on the early Gold's; so I would say it is a very early 2nd variation. It is holding up nicely, I'd grade around the Very Good mark.  There is a little corner wear. but no shelf-wear along the edges. There are a few laminate creases but retains its gloss. It is clean all over, with credit notes on the rear panel bold and legible, and the fold-over's are sound. No writing, imprints, tears/ rips etc.
The inner sleeve is a correct one - a heavy grain type outer paper with a poly-inner and 'Made In England ' text with Emitex advertising info. It is in Excellent condition having survived remarkably well.
The vinyl itself is actually very nice and better than most 1st issues which come up for sale. I grade this as a strong Very Good. There are quite a few very very feint hairlines apparent covering the disc but they do not affect the playback noticeably at all. The record has retained a remarkable jet black glossy pressing sheen with a mirror-like shine, and is for the most part blemish free. I have graded down due to a small scuff line across  last two tracks of side 2. It is a solid robust heavy pressing weighing around the 170 gram mark and lies squarely flat on the turntable.
The labels I grade as near Excellent,  as the gold leaf has been very well retained indeed and the black paper is still glossy. There is a little amount of spindle point wear evident but no line traces. No writing or scuffs of course, and the early ZMT tax code is immediately obvious as it is still bold.
The audio is astounding. It plays clearly and lucidly all of the way through with very little audible detractions. I only detected a few static-type tics for the majority,  but certainly nothing overpowering, until it comes to the scuff line as mentioned which causes some audible cyclic clicks which don’t overpower the music. This is a small hic-cup however for  such an early pressing  - which is otherwise pretty flawless. The is no background interference (or very little discernible), certainly no pops, or skips, or sticks etc or anything which would spoil the listen. I would grade as Excellent for a Gold, and is great to hear such depth to the bass from such an early iteration, and clear and lucid vocals and punchy tracks.

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I use the record collector grading guide.
The record will be extremely well protected using a professional LP mailer with a stiffener, and I add extra outer padding for overseas orders.
The vinyl will be removed from the original inner sleeve, placed in a new generic one and placed next to the main sleeve and will all be housed in a best on the market thumb-weld glass sleeve.