Here is the stereo production master tape (1/4" 15ips on 10.5" reel) for The Beatles' Greatest Hits Volume 2, which contains both sides.
You'll see that EMI UK compiled the tape on 1 April 1966. Once received here, a new page was taped over the top (dating back to the fifties judging by the pre-printed date!) containing the salient local details, presumably post splicing/compiling (you can still see the C.C.I.R and STEREO COPY stamp remnants from the EMI UK notes underneath). Mono and stereo masters (XAPAX 75/6 and YAPAX 1009/10 respectively) were cut locally on 6 September 1966. The mono masters were cut from the same stereo tape - there was no separate dedicated mono tape. The album would not be released until February 1967 though, some five months after cutting.
The same tape was used in June 1976 to cut the 'I Feel Fine / She's A Woman' single and again in June 1982 to cut 'We Can Work It Out / Day Tripper'. The LP was recut earlier the same month by Otto Ruiter (-2/-2). This Maxicut sounds far and away superior over the original cut and is the variation to get (just check for copies on the later black Parlophone label). Seriously, it's like night and day!
It appears that the tape swapped 'Anna' and 'A Hard Day's Night', judging by the "1st 2 songs reversed?" notation.
The album would remain in print right up until the end of EMI's vinyl production in November 1990.
NB: I have colourised the original B&W scan.
