INCREDIBLY-RARE VERY FIRST ISSUED LABEL VARIATION
WITHOUT  GEORGE MARTIN PRODUCTION CREDIT, MATRIX NUMBERS, OR
"RECORDED IN ENGLAND" STATEMENT

ACCOMPANIED BY EQUALLY RARE WEST COAST
'THUMB TAB' CUT "THE BEATLES ON APPLE" BLACK SLEEVE

CONDITION: RECORD NM (UNPLAYED  "AS NEW") / SLEEVE VG++
ITEM#: S795
PRICE: ------

DESCRIPTION
(ACTUAL IMAGES)

FAB 4 COLLECTIBLES IS VERY PROUD TO OFFER THE VERY SCARCE FIRST EVER COMMERCIAL ISSUE OF THE BEATLES' PREMIERE 45 SINGLE ON THEIR NEW APPLE LABEL, FEATURING THE FIRST LABEL VARIATION WITHOUT THE GEORGE MARTIN PRODUCTION CREDIT, THE MATRIX NUMBERS, OR THE "RECORDED IN ENGLAND" STATEMENT (APP 2276.01L(I)(AS), SPIZER),  ALSO INCLUDED WITH THE 45 IS IT'S ACCOMPANYING VERY RARE FIRST ISSUE WEST COAST DROP-DOWN THUMB TAB-CUT "THE BEATLES ON APPLE" BLACK SLEEVE.

THESE ARE FAR SCARCER THAN MOST REALIZE. THIS IS THE VERY FIRST ISSUE OF THE CLASSIC NUMBER ONE BEATLES SMASH HIT. TO DATE, THIS SINGLE REMAINS THEIR BIGGEST HIT. THIS IS THE FIRST PRESSING OF MANY APPLE ISSUES OF THIS 45. IT IS ALSO IN SPARKLING NEAR MINT "AS NEW" UNPLAYED CONDITION. THE A-SIDE LABEL IS NEAR MINT, AND THE B-SIDE LABEL IS NEAR MINT AS WELL.

THE 'BRIGHTER' TONE BORDERS EVIDENT ON THE LABELS ARE TOTALLY CORRECT FOR THESE VERY FIRST ISSUES. ALL THESE FIRST ISSUE LABELS HAVE IT IN VARYING DEGREES, AND ARE CONSIDERED A PRINTER ERROR, NOT WEAR. THIS PARTICULAR EXAMPLE HAS VERY MINIMAL BRIGHTNESS TONE IN LESSER DEGREE ALONG THE LABELS EDGE.

THE RARE RECORD IS ACCOMPANIED WITH THE EQUALLY RARE WEST COAST "THUMB TAB" DROP CENTER APPLE SLEEVE IT WAS ISSUED IN.  THIS "BEATLES ON APPLE" SLEEVE IS REALLY VERY RARE AS ONLY A VERY SMALL AMOUNT WERE MADE WITH THE 'THUMB TAB' CUT. AS FOR THE 45, THERE ARE MANY APPLE VARIANTS OF THIS RECORD (APPROXIMATELY EIGHT), BUT THIS IS THE VERY FIRST ISSUE. THE RARE 'THUMB TAB' SLEEVE IS IN VG++ CONDITION WITH JUST SOME MINIMAL WEAR.. NO TEARS, NO SPLITS. IT IS THE BELIEF OF BEATLES' U.S. RECORDS EXPERT PERRY COX THAT THE 'THUMB TAB' WEST COAST SLEEVE ONLY CAME ON THESE EARLY ISSUE "HEY JUDE" SINGLES. IT'S POSSIBLE THAT SOME SHOWED UP ON LATER SINGLES AND THEY HAVE BEEN SEEN ON ONE OR TWO "GET BACK" SINGLES .SO ALTHOUGH THERE'S NOT AN OFFICIAL "HEY JUDE" U.S. PICTURE SLEEVE, THIS WOULD BE THE CLOSEST ONE TO FILLING THAT BILL.