Please Please Me [4]


	Please Please Me [4]
	Cutting Date:
	Format:	7" Single Sided
	Inscribed Text:	Black ballpoint pen in an unknown hand
	Cut By:	Unk
	Version:	Please Advise
	Duration:	Please Advise
	Source:	Auctions
	Disc I.D.	ACT-E152
	Value:	£5,000 (2022)

Recording History

NOTES

The first details I can locate is the 2017 UK magazine article, which discusses this and an acetate of Love Me Do .

Despite the 2025 auction refers to only two acetate to have surfaced, as you can see below that there ar eat least five, with all having been sold by major auction houses. The handwriting for four looks similar and it would be nice if sellers could confirm the acetate number stamped to help with future identifications.

The auction has no mention of the audio content, which is likely to be the standard mono mix.

Chronology

Date	Value	Condition	Description	Source


18 Dec 2025	£TBC	VG+		RR Auctions Auction:732 Lot: 3052

11 Oct 2022	£5,000	VG	See Below	Omega Auctions - UK Lot:122

1962-2022			Please Provide more Information
1962?-		New Cut

Auction description - 2025

Exceedingly rare original Emidisc acetate for the Beatles' breakthrough hit, "Please Please Me" Exceptionally rare 7? EMI one-sided acetate pressing of the Beatles' breakthrough hit "Please Please Me," as heard on the mono 45 RPM single released on January 11, 1963. The acetate disc bears a black-and-white Emidisc label with handwritten notations: "Please Please Me, The Beatles."

One of the earliest known Beatles Emidisc acetates, this example was cut from a late November 1962 take. By this point, the song's arrangement had been radically altered from earlier demos, ultimately requiring 18 takes to achieve the version that producer George Martin immediately recognized as a hit. His prediction proved accurate—'Please Please Me' was the Beatles' first single to reach number one on both the NME and Melody Maker charts. It then became the title track of their first studio album, recorded soon after to capitalize on the single's success.

Although this acetate lacks the recording engineer's initials on the label, research confirms that the handwriting is that of pioneering EMI cutting engineer Peter Vince, who joined the studio in April 1962, just prior to the Beatles' first sessions there in June.

This very acetate was featured in Record Collector Magazine (September 2017), noted as part of a collection once owned by UK session musician Laurie Payne.

To date, we know of only two genuine Emidisc acetates of 'Please Please Me' to have surfaced. This particular example was last sold by Omega Auctions (UK) in 2022.

Condition (VG+): The disc displays a fair amount of surface marks and scuffs, but no feelable scratches to the playing surface. The label is clean, showing only proper aging. There is no deterioration to the lacquer on the playing side (with some minor wear to the lacquer around the rim), with some 'ring like' effects to the blank 'B' side. It plays great!

Accompanied by a high-fidelity digital transfer (.wav file) of the acetate's contents on a USB stick.

Auction description - 2022

THE BEATLES - PLEASE PLEASE ME 7" - ORIGINAL UK EMIDISC ACETATE RECORDING. Unbelievable to see original UK Emidisc 7" acetate (single sided) recording of Please Please Me. Released with a printed Emidisc label with handwritten "Please Please Me. The Beatles". The acetate is in clean VG condition. Showing some light and minor surface marks/scuffs, there are absolutely no heavier marks or feelable scratches to the playing surfaces. The label is in clean order showing only minor wear. There is no deterioration to the lacquer on the playing side (with some minor wear to the lacquer around the rim), with some 'ring' like effects to the non-playing side.

"As for value you are looking at a small fortune as each acetate will fetch thousands of pounds as they really are incredibly sought-after items for Beatles collectors worldwide".

PROVENANCE: Obtained by the vendor from a 69 year old British lady who brought in 4 boxes of records to his shop to sell . She explained that her father Laurence Payne was in The Savoy Orpheans Band and later in the 50's and 60's was a session musician. Her mother had once had tea with The Beatles and she still had a signed photograph from them (she kept that). She could not tell me exactly how the acetates had come into her possession but that her father had lots of records and items given to him over the years. Record collector magazine ran a feature on these 2 acetates in 2017 and said "As for value you are looking at a small fortune as each acetate will fetch thousands of pounds as they really are incredibly sought-after items for Beatles collectors worldwide".

[Estimate : £3,000 - £5,000 Buyer's premium: 28.00% inc VAT ]