THE VERY FIRST VERSION OF CAPITOL RECORDS' "MEET THE BEATLES" ALBUM RELEASED IN VERY EARLY 1964, FEATURES THE CAPITOL RAINBOW LABELS LACKING THE PUBLISHING PRINT "BMI" OR "ASCAP" ON BOTH LABELS, AND PRESSED ONLY ON THE EAST COAST IN CAPITOL'S SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA FACTORY. THERE IS NO WEST COAST VARIATION FOR THIS VERY RARE LABEL.

IT IS KNOWN THAT ONLY THE FIRST 200,000 TOTAL COPIES WERE PRESSED IN THIS MANNER AND ALL SUBSEQUENT ISSUES ADDED THE PUBLISHING PRINT. OF THOSE INITIAL PRESS NUMBERS, ONLY A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE WERE PRESSED IN STEREO, AND ONE CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE NUMBER OF THOSE THAT REMAIN IN ANY RESPECTABLE CONDITION TODAY.

THESE EARLY FIRST LABEL COPIES WERE SWEPT OFF THE SHELVES DURING THE ONSLAUGHT OF BEATLEMANIA AND MOST HAVE BEEN PLAYED BEYOND RECOGNITION AND DISCARDED. TODAY, ONLY A FEW HUNDRED EXAMPLES HAVE BEEN VERIFIED TO DATE TO HAVE SURVIVED. SINCE ONLY FIFTEEN PERCENT OF CAPITOL'S BEATLES ALBUMS MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO 1966 WERE PRESSED IN STEREO, APPROXIMATELY ONLY 50 TO 60 STEREO FIRST LABEL COPIES OF "MEET THE BEATLES!" HAVE BEEN VERIFIED.

ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT KNOWN EXACTLY WHEN CAPITOL BEGAN SHRINK-WRAPPING ITS ALBUMS, VISUAL EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT "MEET THE BEATLES!" WAS NOT SHRINK-WRAPPED WHEN IT WAS INITIALLY ISSUED ON JANUARY 20, 1964. DURING THE END CREDITS OF "THE BEATLES FIRST U.S. VISIT" DOCUMENTARY, WHICH WAS FILMED IN EARLY FEBRUARY 1964, FANS ARE SHOWN PURCHASING COPIES OF THE ALBUM IN A NEW YORK RECORD STORE. THE ALBUMS ARE NOT IN ANY PROTECTIVE BAG OR SHRINK-WRAP. WHILE MANY RECORD RETAILERS DISPLAYED THE ALBUM WITHOUT PROTECTION, SOME STORES PLACED THE JACKETS IN LOOSE POLY BAGS.

BEING OFFERED HERE IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF HOW EAST COAST FIRST PRESSINGS WERE PACKAGED BY INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENT STORES. THIS GORGEOUS NEAR MINT MINUS COVER REMAINS WRAPPED IN ITS ORIGINAL IN-STORE 'SEARS ROEBUCK & CO.' DISTRIBUTOR LEVEL BAGGYWRAP. EXAAMINING CAREFULLY UNDER THE BAGGYWRAP, THE COVER IS JUST BEAUTIFUL., SHINY, GLOSSY AND BOLD. THE 'STEREO NEEDLE DAMAGE" INFO PRINT AND THE #3 FACTORY INDICATOR ON THE BACK COVER SIGNIFIES THIS IS THE CORRECT COVER FOR A FIRST PRESSING LABEL. THE ONLY WEAR EVIDENT IS THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER IS PEEKING THROUGH THE BAGGYWRAP AND EXHIBITS SOME WEAR TO THE TIP OF THE CORNER. THIS ONLY ISSUE PREVENTS A TRUE NEAR MINT STATUS.

THE ULTRA-RARE RECORD GRADES A SPARKLING NEAR MINT MINUS, WITH A HIGH SHIMMERING GLOSS TO THE VINYL AND GROOVES. THE LABELS ALSO GRADE A BRIGHT AND COLORFUL NEAR MINT MINUS DISPLAYING VERY BEAUTIFULLY WITH VERY MINIMAL PLAY EVIDENT.

THE SET ALSO INCLUDES THE ORIGINAL AND CORRECT LATE 1963 / EARLY 1964 FIRST ISSUE ROYAL BLUE INNER SLEEVE IN VG++ CONDITION.