Pink Floyd Piper At The Gates Of Dawn Vinyl 1st Mono Issue 1967

This is an opportunity to bid for a very rare copy of an original mono version of Pink Floyd s first album, released 56 years ago in Aug 1967. The disc has only ever been played a handful of times and is in very good condition. The cover is intact, but has signs of wear. According to the pressing matrix info embossed on the disc this is a first issue of the mono version made in 1967 at the EMI Pressing Plant, Uxbridge Road, London. See Provenance below for details.

The disc was bought by me second-hand from a market stall in Banbury, Oxfordshire in the mid 1970 s. It wasn t until I had played it that I realised it was in mono I bought a stereo copy shortly afterwards and hadn t played it again until I tested it before putting it up on eBay.

The Lacquer Master was made from the original master tape and the info embossed on this disc shows that it is a first UK mono issue from Aug 1967 XAX 3419-2 and XAX 3420-1 , from which Mother 1 was made. From that Mother, Stamper 9 T was used for side 1 and Stamper 10 GD was used for side two. Since each Stamper makes an average of 300-500 discs, this must have been approximately the 5,000th mono copy of Piper at the Gates of Dawn to have been pressed.

The very earliest pressings of this came in covers that had no text in the top right of the back cover. This one has File Under Popular as do all subsequent copies and so was not an early pressing. But all that actually means is that it has a slightly higher Stamper number - The Master Lacquer and the Mother were exactly the same as is, I venture to suggest, the sound.

Side 1

Stamper T

Side 2

Stamper GD

The disc has survived in very good condition. The vinyl is clean with a good sheen when held to the light. There are no scratches or fingerprints on either side. The centre label is bright and clear and there are very few signs of spindle wear, as befits something that has only ever been played a handful of times. It sits well on the platter, with just a hint of bob in the tonearm. It plays through to the end without a problem.

Surprisingly good considering that it is more than 50 years old. The cover is intact with no rips or tears. There is creasing to the lacquered front but the picture is still bright and clear. The rear cover has some fading and signs of wear, but the side flaps are all still stuck down and the text is clear and fully legible as is the text on the spine see pictures .

Not the original. I recall that the inner cover was badly torn when I bought it so I replaced it with a generic, plastic lined, alternative that was common at that time.

Including packaging, the item weighs about 0.5 kg

UK Buyers Free postage to any location in UK by Royal Mail Special Delivery

International Buyers Postage is via eBay Global Shipping Programme and I have no control over the rates