The Story of The Beatles White Album Cover Serial Numbers
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- čas přidán 31. 05. 2024
- In this video, we look at how EMI took Richard Hamilton's groundbreaking concept of a mass limited edition and made it into a reality. We find out exactly how many numbered copies there were and which numbers were allocated to which format. We also track down the earliest numbers and give you their values and uncover a duplicate of one of the first four copies.
0:00 - Introduction & titles
0:29 - Opening remarks
1:00 - Richard Hamilton's design demands.
1:35 - Turning concept into reality.
1:57 - EMI production turnaround time.
2:29 - Printing the cover.
3:43 - Production difficulties & cover #18.
4:23 - Sleeving the album in the factory.
5:34 - Getting the album into the stores.
6:04 - Mono outnumbers stereo.
6:24 - My first 'White Album'.
6:49 - UK numbering sequence.
8:26 - Numbering on pressings 1987 to date.
8:47 - U.S. numbering system overview.
9:58 - The lowest numbers.
11:03 - A duplicate #3?
11:51 - Advice on buying low numbered copies.
12:17 - It's the music that matters.
12:48 - Sign off.
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My friend and fellow Beatle collector from Huddersfield purchased No. 0000005 from yourself in 2008. He later bought another 0000005 from Paul Wayne at Tracks which was almost identical, being a top loader Garrod UK 1968 sleeve but with a large dot instead of (No.) before the seven numbers. It looks In all respects totally period correct for a UK 1968 album sleeve.
The albums sleeves with just two numbers (ie No. 01 or No. 05 etc.) are quite easy to create as you can remove the remaining five numbers just by using WD40 or similar as the numbers are not below the laminate, but there is usually a very feint indentation left where the numbers used to be that can be seen with suitable lighting.
With what you were saying about the two UK No. 0000003s there could even be another No. 0000001. Who knows?
Great story, Steve!
German issues were top loading as well I believe
@@mahatmacote6478 Yes they were and for a very long time too, up until spring to mid 1973, although by this time EMI-ELECTROLA in Cologne (Germany) had re-listed them with a new EEC catalogue number: 1C 192-04 173/4. (The original german 1968 Apple-Odeon number SMO 2051/52 had been used with the toploader covers until 1973 - very unusual for such an old number - as well as some of the early pressed EEC numbered editions, although by then they had replaced the original black inner sleeves with plain white ones, the early, grey looking B-side apple labels had been replaced by plain white airbrushed centered ones which were missing the originally pictured core and the new EEC catalogue numbers were printed onto the cover spine!) Also from mid 1973 onward, all german White Album copies had now side opened covers.
@@Parlogram I was on holiday with my friend from Huddersfield very recently and we were discussing your video. He told me that he had since bought a number 0000007 a couple of years ago, again a Garrod top opener with the big dot. The interesting thing is they both contained stereo discs (circa 1969) with no "sold in U.K...." and look as though they are from the same batch.
l hope this is of some interest.
@Parlogram I have a american copy #23589
I can remember being in the 7th grade in the mid seventies and our music class project was to draw an album cover. One genius (and I really mean that) brought in, you guessed it. The White Album, all he had to do was get white construction paper and write The Beatles. No, the teacher wasn't impressed. I was.
That’s awesome!
That’s just big brained
The irony is, that it seems more complicated to produce this plain white album than the more involved and artistically creative Sergeant Peppers album.
My Dad has an original 1968 white album in his record collection with no number but all inserts. Sadly he passed away in 2020 so I can't ask him about it. I remember the album being in his collection when I was a kid and I'm now 50!
It seems like No. 0000009 should be the most desirable, as in: "Number Nine...Number Nine...Number Nine...Number Nine..."
i like this joke...but then I am demented. But I still like it.
i think that one may have been auctioned with that very same comment, could be wrong, going from memory.
I went to the Rutherford Chang exhibit when it was in California and it was really cool. As a Beatles record collector, it was truly amazing to see so many copies on display together. As you may have seen, as well, copies with interesting surfaces adorned the walls and then there were many tables where visitors could dig through, look at patina and numbers, and even choose copies to play on nearby record players with headphones. I think I listened to the lowest number I could find and then I listened to Chang's multi-layered version, which interestingly goes out of phase- a unique experience! Now I wish I could see it all over again.
Andrew, you are the Mark Lewisohn of Beatles vinyl. Another fascinating video from you. Thanks mate 👍
Thanks Steve! Glad you enjoyed it.
the first Beatles lp I ever heard. A present from my aunt, a few months after Lennon's death. I started with side 2. I'm still recovering from the impact that Martha My Dear had on my young ears.
Martha My Dear has always been one of my favorite Beatles songs. My favore of all time is I Will.
Hi I once read a story reguarding the white album many years ago that a window cleaner came to John Lennon,s home and cleaned his windows but when it came to payment lennon had no money to pay him but sitting on a table was the first five or so copies of the white album and lennon gave him number 5 not sure if this true but I do believe it was sold at one of the top London auctions house I think in the late 80s
Thanks for the great content. I’d love to see a documentary about the promotional campaign for the white album. Seems fascinating how they tried to market it without any title or artwork. Could also be great to learn about the design process and the designer himself.
Interesting original copies of prom material in mono box set book reminding everyone that the white album is the Beatles .
I love the fact you still have the bag for your first white album! I have four UK numbered originals - not crazy low numbers but all lovely condition with spacers etc. My monos are 9,389 and 82,730. Thanks for the video - I find this a really satisfying album to collect.
I've mentioned it here a few times but this seems like the perfect video for my low number Mono Top Loader No. 4,444. People have said its like the Fab Four of the white album and it's just nice also to have them all the same number. The condition isn't great but it was my only chance to get a really low one so I'm very happy with it ! - I have another 11,591 which is my next lowest then gradually going up at around 60,005 and so on. Great video !!
Wow that’s so amazing Jamie!! That is a great number!! Maybe better than all the really low ones!? 👌👍👍
These are U.K. pressings ? Sounds like Capitol Records. But I’m sure you know your own records …
@@jacquescousteau217 what of "mono top loader" sounds like Capitol Records?
Nice one, Jamie. Thanks for letting us know!
@@markh.9822 Sorry, I gave your story a thumbs up. I don’t know what happened but I was replying to someone else when I wrote that. Reason being being they mentioned a circle before the number or something like that. As I’m sure you know that was a Capitol mark in USA . Your 4444 is great !
Great as always Andrew, thank you!
My best copy is No. 1000. i have about 100 white Albums in my collection, 5 below No. 5000.
The white vinyl and the Parlophone black/yellow pressings also have numbers.
I also prefer the mono mix.
Looking forward to your next video
Cheers
Mike
100 copies? Why?
And I thought I was hoarding white albums with only 23 copies.
i am not aware of the 1978 UK white vinyled copies being numbered ? However the export parlophones date from 1968 so they certainly are. I prefer the stereo because it's longer, on the mono you get cheated out of 20-odd seconds lol. PS i don't have 100 but i reckon i have 30-odd !
@@cantsay8894 Guess he could only afford 100 copies.
I have just found 0000062 in my Dads record collection. It only has both records inside. No posters or anything
My most unique copy of The White Album is I found one at goodwill where the outer cardboard panel was replaced with poster board taped to the original inner panel. It had the lettering redone in pencil where it should be, and traced pencil drawings of the portraits inside (no poster though). It had red label Capitol discs inside.
I really wonder what happened to that copy.
Just purchased my original white album lp today. Lovely album and loved learning all about its pressing history.
Congratulations and enjoy!
Another great video!! I have Mono No. 0006910. That’s about as low as I could hope to get these days. I do know the owner of No. 0000092. I believe you know him too Andrew!
In the USA in 1976 they also released a 7” single of Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da / Julia which came in a similar white sleeve and was individually numbered. The lowest numbered sleeves actually contained promo discs which had Ob-La-Di on both sides…one in Stereo and one in (foldown) Mono.
My copy is numbered No. 0154800. The 1998 CD feels like a genuine attempt at recreating a first edition with a number, black sleeves, top opening gatefold, nice cardstock and glossy goodies.
Meanwhile, the expression "If it ain't broke" comes to mind looking at the 2009 remaster with a quadfold(?) design that scratches the CDs because they only fit in the middle two pouches. Brilliant.
Great video again Andrew,, looking forward to your next installment..
Oddly enough, I never even really noticed the numbers before - and I certainly didn't realize that they were part of the artistic choice for the album cover! I checked my CD copies and was surprised to find that my 30th Anniversary CD has a serial number (mine is sadly over 100,000), but the new 2009 remastered edition lacks the number! I'll have to dig out my secondhand vinyl copy someday to see if that one has a number or not. Thanks for the great video! :)
Hello. Your statement in 9:58 "There is a better chance of finding a low numbered copy in smaller countries like (for example) Peru" is incorrect. I have had the opportunity to be in contact with sellers from Peru for several years and precisely because it is a smaller country than others, the production of albums was much smaller, especially for a double vinyl (only one peruvian pressing is available in one of the most important pages of record sales on the internet). Additionally, as in other countries of South America or Africa, due to climatic conditions and appreciation of cultural value, it is very difficult to find copies of this album since due to these factors many have disappeared or have been destroyed. So if someone owns a copy in any condition of an album made in Peru, especially from the sixties, they should consider themselves very very lucky. Thank you very much for your video.
Hey Andrew, love the videos, man. Just discovered your channel a few weeks ago and I am hooked. The amount of knowledge and attention to detail in these videos is outstanding. Keep the videos coming!
Thanks Andrew, glad you like them!
When my wife and I visited The Beatles Experience in Liverpool I believe in 2012 we saw a blue vinyl copy of the White Album on display. The story was that while the White Album was being re-pressed at a pressing plant this plant was also pressing blue vinyl copies of a Linda Ronstadt album at the same time, and during a lunch break when most employees were out one press was operating for each album. Supposedly an employee was able to grab two blue vinyl ‘biscuits’ without anyone noticing and he put them in and pressed a blue copy of the Beatles album for himself which he smuggled out of the factory. It is a very cool looking album and to this day I’ve never seen another colored vinyl pressing other than white. I don’t remember if there was a cover that went along with it and I don’t remember seeing it. I wonder what that album would sell for. Any thoughts, Andrew?
Very interesting, Richard. Here's a purple vinyl 'White Album' from Australia also made by a creative factory employee: facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=5115912405159383&id=100002220236856
@@Parlogram Wow, that's awesome! Thanks Andrew!
Japan pressed red vinyl copies and South Africa pressed a clear vinyl copy on the Parlophone label.
I have a green vinyl copy on the German DMM Parlophone label but I am pretty certain it's unofficial, even though it came with very authentic looking poster and photos and stamped serial number. The Australian copy I have is a sort of pearly see through, but like you say most official coloured vinyls are white.
@@stevekirk7066 That’s really cool! I’ll be on the lookout for the red or white one to add to my collection. But that blue one, man, was that awesome. I wonder if it’s the only one in the world, being that the employee at the pressing plant had one shot at making it. He had loaned it to the Beatles Experience for display.
@@richardghernandez1672 Japanese red vinyl copies are rarish but not uncommon but an "officially pressed" blue vinyl that is something else!
Great video as always. This album has almost reached mythical proportions because of all the different pressing over the years and types of media it's been recorded on. My first copy is A1863718 I bought in 1972, and is still in very good condition. Still very white and glossy. It has stereo on the back cover and it came with white inner sleeves. The albums are scratch free with a few scuffs, still have that gloss shine, and is still my favorite copy. The poster and pictures are long gone, as they were hung on my wall in my bedroom. Good luck to all who find that low number, but I wouldn't take $50,000 for mine. Keep up the good and fun work Laddie!
Another great video Andrew. I am very happy with my UK mono copy numbered 102580 complete with photos and lyric sheet and black inners. It's a bit scratched but very pleased.
I bought it new in the first week of release, in NYC. My number begins with 15......, so it was from the NY plant. Great video, great info! Thank you.
Great video. I'm lucky enough to have 3 copies of the white album. My first bought as part of the gold foil boxed set (only sold in Australia) which still has the 4 photos and the poster (which is unfortunately not in great condition, having been hung on my wall, what was I thinking?!). The second is a white vinyl version (bought at Kmart for $19.74 according to the price on the outside wrapper) which has just the pictures, no poster, although I can't recall if it did have one originally? The third is an original Australian pressing, gloss finish, top opening, numbered A 53632. It is in poor condition, the spine having split, no photos or poster and no paper inner sleeves, but I love it. I discovered the Beatles as a teenager in the 80s, still for me, the best band ever!
Mark your comment encapsulates the joy of music listening and loving a record perfectly. Thanks.
Another fantastic video, Andrew! Thank you for such great info about the White Album.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have two copies of this album, one in mono version, purchased in 1969, and the other, stereo, purchased sometime in the eighties or nineties. Both have no numbers at all, and were pressed here in Brazil. Keep up the great job you're doing, my friend!
Another great video, thank you. Your knowledge astounds me.
Great video as always. Neither copy of The White Album I owned were numbered (first one was a used Orange Capitol bought from a pawnshop for $0.50, the other was in BC13.)
Another great video with tons of interesting info. Having worked in the packaging industry I can painfully understand what a nightmare the White Album must have been.
I’m a teenager from Liverpool, I collect records and probably have over 50 Beatles albums. Would of been amazing to buy the albums at the time
I am very lucky enough to own Australian Copy of the cd that came out in 1988. My numbered CD is number 11. I worked at Myer Music in Melbourne at the time. We got 500 copies of the white album number 11 to 511. We used to have people come in and peak particular numbers, 69 was the 2nd number that went that day. As I was only 21 at the time I wish I had more money in board add more money and board number 12 to 20. I have never seen any low number 1st pressing Cd's ever in Australia.
My CD is 🔐 in a safe.
you totally should've bought number 69.
Very interesting topic Andrew! I purchased an original US pressing that has the dot before the serial number. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks Bill!
I was waiting for this video for a loooong time thank you :)
Fantastic video!! The truth is that the history of the white album is the most exciting of the Beatles discography. Everything is mysterious and intriguing…
Hi Andrew, all your Beatles related videos are excellent and informative. My mind boggles at your depth of knowledge. As you will know, the first issues of the White album came with mispressed labels that omitted the words 'an EMI recording'. My original mono issue is No. 0004562 which is creeping up to the first 5000 released and my labels are the mispressed versions. It would be interesting to know roughly how many of these actually got out before the error was corrected...
Another immensely interesting video!
Glad you enjoyed it, Taylor!
Finally got the white album on vinyl! When I get home, I’m gonna play it on my record player.
There was a story in a bootleg magazine once that John had 0000001 of the white album and traded it with a bootleg collector in 1973 for bootleg records of Beatles music he no longer had copies of.. Whether it's true or not. I'm not sure. I never seen the story of that article repeated more than once. But it explained why John didn't know the difference between Decca and BBC tracks as he thought the Yellow Matter Custard bootleg was Decca tracks.
Ringo mentions in the Anthology book that John had #1UK, and that he gave it to him. RIngo also ended up with #4 US. RIngo sold off the #1UK album at auction in 2015 for $790,000 dollars.
I remember that John story, but I heard he traded his Butcher cover for a handful.of bootlegs.
@@markokino3716 You are probably right. In a different interview he didn't remember which of the two he traded.
I recall an article in the NME or Melody Maker within a few years of the White Album release stating when the first copies arrived at the Apple offices, John said “I bagsie No1” he was always the leader even then!😎👍
No.0000009 would be the coolest copy imo.
I have no interesting White Album stories, but I'll mention that pretty much all of the non-brand-new copies of it that I saw back in the day were quite discolored around the edges of the disks, because of the natural wear and tear. So the cover would never really be blank, but rather would have a big gray circle on both the front and back. And to me this seemed kind of part of the concept, although I'm sure it wasn't. It was like breaking in blue jeans, which back in the day always started out dark blue and you had to work them into their faded comfort stage. Until your copy started showing the rings, you hadn't had it long enough to qualify as a true fan. But this was probably just me.
When I got my own first copy, in the mid-70's, they had stopped both the numbering and the embossing. I wasn't so much bothered by the missing number, and even the missing embossing wasn't that big of a deal to me. It was more that writing The BEATLES in ink broke the concept of having the cover be completely empty. (Other than the organic rings, of course).
I did read a somewhat amusing story in a book by some Beatles hanger-on who had worked at Apple. He said that Capital Records had come up with this marketing plan where they were going to put up all of these billboards that just had the cover art of the new Beatles album, so they sent a request to Apple for a picture of the artwork, and Apple dutifully mailed them back a blank sheet of paper. Capital then figured that Apple had just forgotten to include the picture and repeated the request. I somehow feel like the story was made up.
One thing I tried Googling for and never found was some kind of little website that had a nice recreation of the blind embossing in high res with a text entry box for your number on your copy of whatever edition of TB you had, with options for the stylings used for different countries and formats. You’d input your number and a .png would be generated. That way even, say, the copy of my Super Deluxe set I imported into iTunes, can share the number on the digital album art that’s on the phyiscal set itself.
Hi Andrew! Love the videos - particularly this one. Have you ever thought of doing one on the cancelled Sessions album from the 1980s? Great backstory and it got as far as test pressings before being widely booted.
Great suggestion!
@@Parlogram Still not sure if my copy is a test pressing or a bootleg of the test pressing (the latter I sadly suspect). Still, the very first Beatles bootleg I ever saw and ever bought. All I'd ever read about Beatles bootlegs was that they were poor quality concert recordings or scratchy Let It Be era acetates. I took a punt and paid a small fortune (to me back then) and took this home and put it on the record player! Absolute heaven!
Seriously can’t believe the fascination with what number you get, although it’s fun to see others flipping out paying silly money for the low ones… 😬. Excellent video Andrew. 👍👌
Thanks Louise.
The 30th anniversary CD was also numbered. Sadly I can't get to it at the moment as, along with my 1987 CD, it's packed away due to an impending house move 😞
Fascinating subject though
Great information as always. Thank you.
Our pleasure, Chris.
I have the first UK Press Mono Misprint that doesn't have 'An E.M.I. Recording' on the labels. No. 0171324 so quite high but it is an amazingly beautiful, complete copy. The best I've even seen, personally.
I’ve finally acquired the White Album I’ve dreaming with for years. As a Brazilian collector, one of my holy-grails was always the first Brazilian mono pressing from early 1969. I had two copies up to that point - a 2012 stereo that sounds too bassy and muddy for my ears, and a late 70’s Brazilian stereo reissue which is my go-to pressing for sound quality.
The mono pressing I’ve been desiring for so long isn’t just famous for actually being a fold-down of the stereo mix, as side four has MASSIVE issues with speed consistency, especially in Revolution 1. Legend says there was a power outage in the Odeon pressing plant, when side four was being cut. Thus, the speed rises and falls as if there was someone trying to spin the record with their hands.
First pressings, both mono and stereo were numbered here too, and mine is Nº 9098.
So excited for this video! My favourite album!
The white album is my all-time favorite Beatles album that’s why I love it because there’s so much music on it from rockin songs to acoustic stuff to avant-garde songs like Julia Revolution nine good night all in one double album and that is one of the best albums of the Beatles made of course being one of the biggest Beatles fans ever I love everything that they did but my number one album will always be the white album simply because there’s so much on it.
@@jesserussell7242 yes I agree
I’ve got a copy of Rutherford Chang’s art project LP, which overlays writing, wear and damage from 100 of his copies into a composite cover image, and has the audio from multiple copies played simultaneously pressed as a double LP. It’s very interesting and highly bizarre, but a very fun and new way of hearing the album. The seller I got it from also attended his first exhibition and sent along prints of the photos he took there!
I met him at WFMU Record Fair one year. He was selling his album there. Interesting but I only played it once, lol.
Still the best album ever! I'm happy about any video about it. I own eight copies in different variations but I don't have a special early number.
Great as always, Andrew!
Thanks, Tony!
Wonderful stuff, and production. Thank you. I haven't looked in a while, but are there any stories of the album cover's original proposal? I seem to recall coming across a story in some long-gone US magazine in the early to mid 1970s that said that John Lennon proposed a cover that was a cross between the original UK "Beggar's Banquet" and "Two Virgins," and that the white cover was actually censorship on behalf of EMI hierarchy. I have never heard the story since, and wonder if anyone else has?
Brilliant information again thanks Andy .
Glad you enjoyed it, Simon.
I had completely forgotten that the CDs were numbered as well 😆
Don't know if the LP's got numbered in Greece, but haven't seen any copy so far.
Do you think there used to be a document stating how many copies of each early number were made?
I'm pretty sure Yoko still has a huge amount of priceless items to us! I wonder if Sean is ever going to let go some of them, when they pass on to his hands.
Thanks so much for this wonderful video, Andrew! ☺️❤️
I will definitely stick around. 😆Very informative, Andrew. I received my copy of the album for my birthday in 1975. Unfortunately, the number was no longer included. “The Beatles” was still embossed, though. Have a great week and I look forward to next Sunday.
Thanks Roger.
I have something of a U.S. oddity in the white vinyl version that Capitol issued in 1978. The words "The Beatles" are not embossed but printed in grey on the front cover, and there is no numbering on any of them. Miraculously, I find it to be one of the best sounding stereo versions of the White Album I've ever heard. The pressing is dead quiet and a flawless master must've been used for this release. Easily on par with the Mo-Fi version.
While on the subject of Beatle numbering, Capitol also released a single of "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" and "Julia" in 1976, the white picture sleeves of which are actually individually numbered in the style of the White Album LP. This single was apparently only available in the North American market.
My first copy as a teenager was an 80s Canadian Capitol pressing with grey print instead of the embossing. It took me years before I realized that the text was supposed to be embossed... let alone that they were supposed to be individually numbered!! To this day my only embossed copy is in the mono CD box set.
@@brenthooton3412 And a very good copy that is. Cheers!
My dad, having been 10 in 1968, only had seen and heard friends copies of the White Album. He got his Australian copy in 1981 and has kept it ever since. I picked up my own copy a few months ago, a 1991 Russian (USSR) pressing because It was cheaper than most others and I thought it would be a more intersting copy to own. Turns out, it is, because the cover is a thinner, matt finish, the potraits in the gatefold look more like hand drawn artwork, all the text is in Russian (for obvious reasons) and the apple label is also hand drawn (not exactly like the original).
Indeed, having had one of those Russian copies slip thru my hands, I did manage to keep the trippy poster that came with it though; It's printed on a fairly thick card like paper & is kept housed in a frame now.
@@Exisles Nice, having seen what the poster looks like I wish my copy had come with it
A great look into an interesting but generally forgotten aspect of their White Album LP packaging. Really enjoyed that Andrew. Thanks. :- )
Glad you enjoyed it, Mr. Joe!
Wow Andrew, I think I knew all about the Beatles, then I watch your channel and I learn so much more. I bought my copy of the white album in the late 70s. Brand new. So it was unnumbered and side loading. I assumed that’s how they’d always been since first released 10 years previously. Then I watch your video and find I’ve been wrong for the last 44 years. I wonder what number they’d be up to now if they’d carried on with numbers?
If you haven’t already made one, I’d love a video about the odd capitalization standard (or lack thereof) in Beatles song titles!
I wonder who got copy *_Number 9_*
Brilliant video Andrew
Thanks Edward.
I was always intrigued from the moment I got my first issue when was released in 68’..I have since acquired several numbered copies..including an original top loader Mono made in England ..I have never seen a Mono version that was printed in the US ..I’m talking and writing about only first issues.. in the US..Thanks for another great video!!
Thanks for watching, Luth.
The US didn't have a mono. I believe the last US mono release was Magical Mystery Tour.
I didn’t know that the US had no mono version of the White Album.
I do recall that the US Rareties Album had a mono mix of Helter Skelter. The album notes said that it was significantly different from the stereo mix.
I don't believe the U.S. officially got the proper mono White Album until the CD and vinyl "The Beatles in Mono" box sets were released, even though certain tracks in mono emerged on the U.S. "Rarities" discs. But up until then it remained a mystery unless you obtained a UK mono copy. I myself remember being blown away the first time I heard the White Album in mono, mainly from all the differences from the stereo mix.
This was another great video! I took a look tho and only the CD version of the 2018 White Album has the numbers on the front. I have a very early copy of the LP and there are no numbers.
Very interesting and so informative. Thanks so much! I have the White album serial No A1940532 and it says STEREO in the upper right hand corner of the back cover. I also have the 2009 reissue that came without the serial no. but it does say STEREO in the upper right corner of the back cover.
Hi Andrew
As always enjoyed watching another one your informative videos. And Enjoyed watching this video too. I have probably 30 White Albums. As here in Australia numbered ones are just as valued as they are globally. The lowest I’ve managed to get is # 00008 👍 it belonged to music reviewer. It has promo red bullet stickers on sides 1 & 3 photos poster inners. I also have # 000059, 000087 & 000091. My highest numbered copy is # 94930.
Mono copies here aren’t numbered to a particular group of numbers. Their randomly scattered throughout the numbering system. Some are in the 1000s. I have a copy numbered in the 80,000!!
I have managed to get a very low numbered UK stereo 0000397 & a low numbered mono UK 0030388. Look forward to your next instalment
Cheers for now
Congratulations on your low numbers, Richard and cheers for the info!
Another fab video Andrew! I have a used American copy but it's a high number. At least six figures.
Hello, Andrew. Your show is truly topnotch. Thanks to you I realized I own an original 45 of Love me do (Canada). Strangely, my copy of the Canadian White Lp from the 1960s has no number nor does it have a top opening. 'Stereo' is printed on the backcover. One detail: from the very first day, Birthday can't be listened to because it skips right start to middle.
I received my first copy of the white album in the mail today! It’s a first Japanese pressing on Red Vinyl in stereo. I just finished listening to it :). It’s a strong Vg+ but, alas, no cover, inserts etc. It was a good price so I couldn’t resist - hopefully I’ll find it a cover someday. Thanks for the video.
A Japanese EverClean album in VG+ should sound great …
One of the only original variations in the covers that I've found is in some Spanish speaking countries, their albums have LOS BEATLES in raised lettering, with the songs in the track listing being in English as well as Spanish. Most other countries just have your standard THE BEATLES in the front and English writing throughout
That's the Argentina version. Really cool cover (though the records seem to be from US metal parts).
My local record store here in the states just randomly got a collection of UK Beatles pressings. Never thought I’d actually get to see any of these in person. I purchased the 1971 stereo white album, #245254. Very clean, and all four sides are “-1” cuts.
When I was a kid, my older brother and I desperately wanted the new White Album, but being two broke kids we couldn't afford it. My oldest brother suggested spray painting our Sgt Pepper white and telling everyone it was the White Album. Except we didn't have any white spray paint, so we painted it blue. Alas. Fooled no one. Still have that blue Sgt Pepper. And I did get the actual White Album in various formats later on, though no interesting numbers.
Great Show, I have a Stereo Australian Copy No 82822, Wish I still had the Photos, Still have the Sleeve......
Hi Andrew, thanks for your fantastic new video. I have personally dealt with this topic in the past and I have written a long article together with my fellow collector Luigi in the now defunct but very respectable magazine called Beatlology. I think the story of the numbers in the White Album is still shrouded in mystery. For example Luigi owned a Stereo copy no.0000018 with the wording "STEREO" printed in the upper right hand corner of the back cover. The copy inside was, by the way, a "Racoon" misspelled label. So was this a "proof" copy for the stereo cover ? We never knew the truth. Also, i have seen a copy no.0000007 preceeded by a large dot instead of "No." before the seven numbers. So what about this particular series. Does anybody Know anything? Were this a proof copy? It would be interesting to find out more....
Thanks for that information Luca!
Hope someone can answer these questions.
This explains the dot, which apparently shows where it was pressed. www.friktech.com/btls/capitol/WhiteAlbumPressings.pdf
@@annwade1876 Thanks Ann. The article however is focusing on the American Album details, while I was referring to the UK one….
And when I bought the Beatles 2012 vinyl box set in the vinyl it does have the Beatles name embossed which is really cool and not only is the album cover really cool with all the posters but the music inside and even the white album deluxe box set which is really good. I love the Beatles White album deluxe box set because you can hear everything and it’s still a good album.
GREAT VIDEO ON THE NUMBERS PRINTED ON THE BEATLES "WHITE ALBUM". VERY INTERESTING HOW THE UK, USA AND OTHER COUNTRIES PRINTED THE NUMBERS. KEEP UP THE FANTASTIC VIDEOS. TAKE CARE.
Glad you enjoyed it, Bobby.
Currently on Discogs there's around 7 or 6 copies left of the German 1985 DMM white-colour vinyl - - it's sourced from an analogue tape and is the most phenomenal white album I've ever heard. Michael Fremer, for what it's worth, remains convinced that this 1985 German copy is even more dynamic and punchy than the '78 UK white vinyl version, which is really saying something. It does NOT sound like a '68 original, either, just a totally new experience. One of the best albums in my entire collection, if not the best, period.
You can also get a cheaper black vinyl version from 1985, having the -2/-3/-2/-2 matrix. Same cut as the white vinyl version but considerably cheaper.
(It is indeed questionable if the white vinyl version is actually from 1985 or actually from the end of 1984...).
@@TheHutt Thanks for info, lots of versions upon closer inspection!
Great video, love the channel. I do have an interesting US version, A2850961, where the inside cover is upside down!
Great show! I always wondered how numbering was handled “here, there and everywhere”! Amazing!
Were the original CDs handled the same way?
As always, informative and fun. Great job!!
Thanks! I've no information on the CD numbers...yet.
I’ve seen CDs that have been numbered on eBay and they’re not too expensive. At least the ones I saw last time I looked.
@@jmad627
Wasn’t too interested in if they were of value (yet), but wondered if they used the same principle behind the system of numbering. Man that must’ve been quite a task!
Thanks! I was wondering about this. I have one that was given to me.
Mine is side loading A1634428 stereo. The vinyl and the cover are trashed though. I have the lyric sheets but no photos.
Brilliant video Andrew. Pity we can't start a White Album owners club numbers register.
There actually is one already: www.whitealbumregistry.com/
Thanks.. that's amazing!
@@Parlogram shame it doesn't have a freeform option so i can add all the weird bits like crossover emi/no emi labels Racoon error, tax stamps etc etc ...
Hi Charlie. That would probably be too much information but it could probably be the basis for a very good downloadable PDF ((or another video!)
@@charliemaguire2210 Hi Charlie, Just checked my Capitol (Purple Label) White Vinyl US import copy purchased in the 70s and it has the Racoon error on the label.
Nice video Andrew . i have a few white albums.My lowest is 00001577 wich is pretty low and according to the video must be pressed in first hour of production. Mono ofcourse. Still hope to own export one someday!
I have a Beatles white album that's been in my collection for about 50 years. Need to have it looked at.
Oh man, AWESOME TOPIC!!!
Not sure if it’s of interest for this video but there was a 30th anniversary mini replica CD in 1998. Top loader with side-flaps jacket. Mini poster, mini portraits and black inner sleeves were included. Impeccable reproduction like the version included in the Mono cd box. “The Beatles” embossed on front with a black “No” 7 digit in black numbering.
Great info! I've been trying to figure out what pressing I have - based on the info in this video I believe it's one of those late '70/early '71 UK pressings with the 7 digit # between 100k and 150k - it's a side opener, laminated thin cover stock, embossed letters, no STEREO on the back, No. 0129737. There are almost 80 UK pressings listed on Discogs but no exact match to what I have here.
A fascinating video, Andrew. I bought my Canadian copy in '68, but it had no number and a side opening sleeve. Were any numbered copies issued in Canada?
A friend and myself bought the White Album when it came out. No numbers issued on the front covers. Just the raised embossed lettering "The Beatles".
@@johnwhelan5332 I didn't even realise numbered copies were a thing until a few years later when I saw a UK copy. Now it seems more prestigious to have an unnumbered copy. 😀
I have a 1987 CD of the album, but it isn't numbered. Hoping to get a numbered vinyl fairly soon.
Thanks for the great video, as usual!!
@@phillipanderson7398 It is a UK copy I'm pretty sure. It may have been a mistake or the original owner rubbed the number off.
Will you be doing anything on the abbey road export pressing,,I have a yellow parlophone copy..
I got to see that white album art exhibit. It was fun.
Was a terrific presentation.... as always. This was extremely enlightening!!! Do you know how large the initial batch of delivered covers were prior to the 20,000 that EMI received daily?
I have UK #0024983. Would this possibly have been produced on Day 2 of EMI's production?
No i dont own a very low number but do own a "special to me" mono No.0610798 given to me by my girlfriend from her fathers collection after he died. And that for me means more than anything about this album as he was a man I very much loved and respected and to be taking care of his copy he obviously loved and played himself is poignant.Thank you Tony. And its nice to know that it is just about in the first original numbered albums in the UK and it still sounds great.
Interesting video, I never new all that. This is one of your best videos A.
My first yt album was 1980 too. Purple Capitol white vinyl. Then my wife at the time got me the uk import apple white vinyl 81? No numbers .Then the original cds in 2 jewel cases. More recently I got the 2014 mono and after that the box with esher demos. Sometimes “The Beatles” is my favorite album.
Wow thank you for the info much appreciated
You're most welcome!
Oh, I spent a lot of my younger years in Andy's Records, Peterborough (both locations). Wish it was still a thing.
I have just picked up an odd sleeve. It is a orig UK top loader with an early number 0003947. It has mono discs but has “stereo” printed in the corner on the inside (not the rear) gatefold above the track listing. Possibly a printing error.
I have a first issue UK stereo copy , #0315763. It is completely unique because:
A) it came with 2 of those paper protective inners instead of one. I guess one of those ladies working at the EMI factory were feeling generous when it came to putting my copy together
B) it's in astonishingly good condition.
C) my parents gave it to me for Christmas in 2000 and I know they only paid £30 for it
D) it's my copy of the White Album . There are many like it, but this one is mine (and I love it)
I've never heard a mono copy. In fact I don't think I've ever even seen one in the flesh 🤔
Just heard it for the first time I now have changed my mind over the Stereo
A fascinating video, Andrew! I bought my vinyl stereo copy in 1973 but its number is 236446 so not a collector's item! Just one thing I want to clarify with you. You said that all the Beatles UK album covers were printed by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd but I have an original issue of 'A Hard Day's Night' printed by Ernest J. Day & Co! Can't wait to see your future video on White Album variations!
actually Andrew said Garrod were " involved " in printing all UK Beatles albums which is true, However EJ Day also printed copies of Please Please Me With the Beatles, A Hard Days Night, Rubber Soul Revolver & Beatles Oldies. However Garrod did not become involved with Please Please Me until at least the end of 1963, all copies prior to that are EJ Day only. Oh & all numbered copies are of interest to collectors, may not quite as much as first pressings but still of great interest !
@@charliemaguire2210 Thanks for clarifying, Charlie and good to know that collectors are interested in all numbered copies!
@@nicknikipediacaulkin5943 if you can get GBP 200 for a nice original stereo then 80 or 90 is not without bounds for a nice complete numbered copy 70-73 !
@@charliemaguire2210 Thanks, Charlie!