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Extract From The Album “A Hard Day’s Night”, Parlophone GEP 8924, November 6, 1964. The Garrod & Lofthouse sleeves have diagonal-cut flaps at the top and bottom and a side tab, along with “6412 G. & L.” date centered at the bottom.

Some the original sleeves have rounded flaps. These sleeves are not the mark of the manufacturer so they can not be identified. Later sleeves from the seventies are not laminated.

1. First pressing, November 6, 1964. The first pressing has black label with yellow logo and silver print. “The Parlophone Co. Ltd” printed at the start perimeter print and the publishing year printed as “Recording First Published 1964” and with “SOLD IN U.K.” Push-out center and KT tax code. Matrix numbers: Side 1: 7TCE 850-1N, Side 2: 7TCE 851-1N.

2. Second pressing, 1978 – 1981. Black label with yellow logo and silver print. “THE EMI RECORDS LTD” printed at the start perimeter print and “MADE IN GT. BRITAIN” text at the end of the perimeter print. Matrix numbers: Side 1: 7TCE 850-2, Side 2: 7TCE 851-1N.

Type 1. Push-out center:

Type 2. Solid center:

Beatles For Sale, Parlophone GEP 8931, April 6, 1965. The Garrod & Lofthouse sleeves have rounded or diagonal-cut flaps at the top and bottom and a side tab, along with “6504 G. & L.” date centered at the bottom.

The Buckland Printers sleeve have diagonal-cut flaps at the top and bottom and a side tab, along with “6504 Buckland” date centered at the bottom.

Later sleeves from the seventies are not laminated.

1. First pressing, April 6, 1965. Black label with yellow logo and silver print. “The Parlophone Co. Ltd” printed at the start perimeter print and the publishing year printed as “(p) 1964” and with “SOLD IN U.K.” Push-out center. Tax code KT. Matrix numbers: Side 1: 7TCE 860-1N, Side 2: 7TCE 861-1N.

Variation A: Push-out center.

Variation B: Solid center.

2. Second pressing, 1978 – 1981. Black label with yellow logo and silver print. “THE EMI RECORDS LTD” printed at the start perimeter print and “MADE IN GT. BRITAIN” text at the end of the perimeter print. Matrix numbers: Side 1: 7TCE 860-2, Side 2: 7TCE 861-3.

Beatles For Sale (No 2), Parlophone GEP 8938, June 4, 1965. The Garrod & Lofthouse sleeves have rounded or diagonal-cut flaps at the top and bottom and a side tab.

The Ernest J. Day sleeves have angle-cut flaps at the top and bottom and a side tab.

Later sleeves from the seventies are not laminated.

1. First pressing, April 6, 1965. Black label with yellow logo and silver print. “The Parlophone Co. Ltd” printed at the start perimeter print and the publishing year printed as “(p) 1964” and with “SOLD IN U.K.” Push-out center. Tax codes WKT, KT and KJT. Matrix numbers: Side 1: 7TCE 874-1, Side 2: 7TCE 875-1.

First variation with WKT code:

Second variation with KT code:

2. Second pressing, summer 1965 – summer 1969. Black label with yellow logo and silver print. “The Gramophone Co. Ltd” printed at the start perimeter print and the publishing year printed as “(p) 1964” and with “SOLD IN U.K.” Push-out or solid center. Tax codes KT or KJT. Matrix numbers: Side 1: 7TCE 874-1, Side 2: 7TCE 875-1.

3. Third pressing, summer 1969 – 1973. Black label with yellow logo and silver print. “The Gramophone Co. Ltd” printed at the start perimeter print and the publishing year printed as “(p) 1964”. Push-out or solid center. With or without tax code.  Matrix numbers: Side 1: 7TCE 874-1, Side 2: 7TCE 875-1.

4. Fourth pressing, 1978 – 1981. Black label with yellow logo and silver print. “THE EMI RECORDS LTD” printed at the start perimeter print and “MADE IN GT. BRITAIN” text at the end of the perimeter print. Matrix numbers: Side 1: 7TCE 874-2, Side 2: 7TCE 875-2.

The Beatles’ Million Sellers, Parlophone GEP 8946, December 6, 1965. The original EP should be published in 1964 as GEP 8899 “Golden Discs”, but and has not been published and exists as “Million Sellers” pressing only. The EP was originally titled “Beatles’ Golden Discs”, utilizing the name of the cancelled EP from late 1964, but was changed to “The Beatles’ Million Sellers” in time for the sleeves to bear the new name. But the original labels were not changed. The name remains as “Beatles Golden Discs”. The Garrod & Lofthouse sleeves have rounded or diagonal-cut flaps at the top and bottom and a side tab.

The Ernest J. Day sleeves have angle-cut flaps at the top and bottom and a side tab.

Later sleeves from the seventies are not laminated.

1. First pressing, December 6, 1965. Black label with yellow logo and silver print. “The Gramophone Co. Ltd” printed at the start perimeter print and the publishing year printed as “(p) 1963” and with “SOLD IN U.K.” Tax code KT. Matrix numbers: Side 1: 7TCE 888-1, Side 2: 7TCE 889-1.

Variation A: Push-out center.

Variation B: Solid center, later pressing (1966).

Pye contract pressing:

1. There is no tax code around the centre hole on either side of the disc.
2. The ridge is approximately 2.5mm in from the edge of the push-out centre or about 10mm out from the center hole.
3. The secondary ridge runs right on the very edge next to the triangular centre attachments. You can only see a second ridge at the base of these triangular shapes and *extremely* flush against the edge gap, whereas on the Decca discs this ridge is clearly visible around the extreme edge rim of the pushout section. This is consistent with all Decca and Pye discs.
4. The gap between the push-out centre and the main body of the disc is approximately 2.25mm.
5. The tax code can be found at the 12 o’clock position.
6. The mother plate number (either single or double figured) is at the 9 o’clock position.
7. A hand-etched letter has been scratched in at the 3 o’clock position. This does NOT appear on the Decca contract pressings.
8. The matrix number is stamped at the 6 o’clock position in the deadwax.

2. Second pressing, 1978 – 1981. Black label with yellow logo and silver print. “THE EMI RECORDS LTD” printed at the start perimeter print and “MADE IN GT. BRITAIN” text at the end of the perimeter print. Matrix numbers: Side 1: 7TCE 888-2, Side 2: 7TCE 889-1 (or -2).