A truly amazing Mint/Near Mint UK first pressing of the Beatles debut single, “LOVE ME DO/P.S. I LOVE YOU” on the highly collectible Red Parlophone label, sent to Capitol Records in 1963, and two original Capitol Records Beatles 8″ x 10″ Promotional photos from the same era (with very rare stamps on the back from the Capitol Records Photographic Studio.)

We purchased these from Los Angeles area record store and the owner (who we know well) told us the man who traded these in got them from his mother, who had worked at Capitol Records in the 1960’s. Evidently she’d given them to him many years ago, telling him they had been sent to Capitol by The Beatles UK label in the very early 60’s, and were very rare.

He framed the single with one of the photos, and when we acquired them and took the 45 out of the frame, we were astounded by its condition. The A-Side is Near Mint, and the B-Side Mint, and we’d guess this has been played no more than three or four times. There are a few light spindle marks on each label, but otherwise the labels (with “Made in Great Britain” text) are Mint as well.

The stamper numbers are (Side1) 7XCE-17144 1N/ 1/M with ZT tax code and (Side 2) 7XCE-17145 1N/1A with ZT tax code (and an embossed Z on the side two label.) The original Parlophone 45 sleeve is included as well, in very good condition with a split along the bottom. Both sides play wonderfully, with just at tiny bit of surface noise at the very end of “Love Me Do.”

The 8″ x 10″ promo photos are likely UK photos, sent to Capitol, and each has a stamp from the Capitol Records Photographic Studio in Hollywood along with “Beatles” and a file number written in pencil (We’ve never seen Beatles promo photos with this stamp before, and we’d guess these are the originals from which copy prints were made.) The photo with the four individual Beatles has tape tears in the four corners from where it was mounted in the frame, but otherwise both are in excellent condition.

A rare opportunity to acquire one of the finest copies in existence of The Beatles very rare and highly collectible debut single, with two very early promo photos, all with excellent provenance.