THE BEATLES
Apple PMCO 7067-8 (MONO) / PCSO 7067-8 (STEREO)
Apple PMCO 7067-8 (MONO) / PCSO 7067-8 (STEREO)
APPLE - Mono
AU70678M1
4 Dec 1968
AU70678M1
4 Dec 1968
APPLE - Stereo
AU70678S1
4 Dec 1968
AU70678S1
4 Dec 1968
NZ DK GREY 1-BOX
AU70678S2C
1981
AU70678S2C
1981
BLACK 1-BOX A
AU70678S3A
Apr 1982
AU70678S3A
Apr 1982
BLACK 1-BOX B
AU70678S3B
Jul 1987
AU70678S3B
Jul 1987
GENERAL ALBUM INFORMATION
| FORMAT | RELEASED | SIDE 1 MATRIX | SIDE 2 MATRIX | SIDE 3 MATRIX | SIDE 4 MATRIX | PARTS |
| MONO | 4 Dec 1968 | XEX 709-1 | XEX 710-1 | XEX 711-1 | XEX 712-1 | UK |
| STEREO | 4 Dec 1968 | SWBO 1-101-J41: B | SWBO 2-101-J41: B | SWBO 3-101-J41: B | SWBO-4-101-J41: B | US |
| STEREO | ~ 1978 | SWBO 1-101-J41: B | SWBO 2-101-J46 #4 | SWBO 3-101-J41: B | SWBO-4-101-J41: B | US |
| STEREO | Dec 1980 | SWBO 1-101-J46 #3 | SWBO 2-101-J46 #4 | SWBO 3-101-J41: B | SWBO-4-101-J41: B | US |
| STEREO | Mid-1981 | SWBO 1-101-J46 #3 | SWBO 2-101-J46 #4 | SWBO 3-101-J48 #2 | SWBO-4-101-J41: B | US |
| STEREO | 198? | SWBO 1-101-J46 #3 | SWBO 2-101-J46 #4 | SWBO 3-101-J41: B | SWBO-4-101-J44: #5 | US |
| STEREO | 22 Oct 1982 | SWBO1 101 -2 DB | SWBO 2-101-J41: B | SWBO3 101 -2 DB | SWBO-4-101-J41: B | AU (S1,3) |
| STEREO | Oct 1982 | SWBO1 101 -2 DB | SWBO 2-101-J46 #4 | SWBO3 101 -2 DB | SWBO-4-101-J41: B | AU (S1,3) |
| STEREO | ~1984 | SWBO1 101 -2 DB | SWBO 2-101 -2 | SWBO3 101 -2 DB | SWBO-4-101-J41: B | AU (S1-3) |
| STEREO | 24 Aug 1987 | PCSO 7067A SWBO1-101-3 AP 682 | PCSO 7067B SWBO2-101-3 AP 682 | PCSO 7068 |
PCSO 7068 |
AU* |
| STEREO | 24 Aug 1987 | PCSO 7067A SWBO1-101-3 AP | PCSO 7067B SWBO2-101-3 AP | PCSO 7068 |
PCSO 7068 |
AU |
| STEREO | 14 Nov 1988 | PCSO 7067D-A | PCSO 7067D-B | PCSO 7068D-A | PCSO 7068D-B | AU |
| * White vinyl pressing; only 2000 pressed | ||||||
MATRIX INFORMATION
Machine Stamped - Hand Written
Machine Stamped - Hand Written
| ORIGIN | CODE | CIRCULATED | SLEEVE DETAILS |
| AUST | A1 | Dec 1968 | Local made sleeve, five digit numbered with "A" prefix, top loader, black inner sleeves* |
| AUST | A2 | 1969 | Local made sleeve, five digit numbered with "No." prefix, top loader, black inner sleeves* |
| AUST | A3 | ~1971 | Local made sleeve, unnumbered, side loader, plastic inner sleeves |
| AUST | A4 | Nov 1988 | "DIGITALLY REMASTERED" footer on rear cover |
| * During 1969, the print-colour changed from grey to green but inconsistently applied; for example, a green-ink A 60### has been confirmed as has a grey-ink No 69###; 'go figure' as "they" apparently say. | |||
A question that is regularly raised among collectors is "why did EMI (Australia) source UK mothers for the mono release but US mothers for the stereo"? There's no definitive answer to this, although general consensus is that it was due either to timing of release or a supply problem. NZ also used US parts made in Los Angeles (J40 - a plate earlier than ours) on their first pressings. As this was the first Beatles album that was released exactly the same in both the US and UK, it may have been cheaper to ship stereo mothers from the US, and because the US did not release a mono version, the only alternative for it was to source from EMI UK.
THE AUSTRALIAN VERSION OF THE SLEEVE
EMI UK supplied EMI (Australia) with detailed instructions for the sleeve design, including the embossing of the band's name and the slightly angled placement of the individual numbers. EMI UK also specified the exact quantity of sleeves to be numbered.
In keeping with overseas pressings, the sleeves used for early Australian copies had their disc openings along the top rather than the usual side openings. Black paper inner sleeves were supplied, along with four full-colour portraits, one of each Beatle. A fold-out poster was also included, featuring song lyrics on one side and a photo-collage on the other. However, the Australian poster was censored; pictures and further information can be found on the "Censored Australian poster" page. Also consistent with international counterparts, early Australian pressings were issued in individually numbered sleeves.
The sleeves were printed by Z Nosek & Co, which, at the time, was the only printer in Australia capable of manufacturing gatefold sleeves, having installed new suitable printing equipment at the beginning of 1968.
A single sleeve was produced to accommodate both mono and stereo pressings. Although both the mono and stereo catalogue numbers appeared on the spine, the rear of the sleeve referred only to 'stereo'. Copies containing mono vinyl were therefore fitted with a large black-and-white 'MONO' sticker placed directly over the lone printed word 'stereo'. This sticker was in the same style as the black-and-white 'STEREO' stickers applied to the dual-format sleeves of other Beatles albums, although two variations of the 'MONO' sticker are known.
A miscommunication at Z Nosek nearly led to the entire batch of outer covers being scrapped and reprinted! When the company's General Manager visited the factory to check on progress, he noticed that the numbers had been printed at an angle and thought they looked ridiculous! A quick call to EMI (Australia) (on a Sunday no less!) soon clarified the matter: the angled numbering was intentional. The sleeves were subsequently delivered to the Homebush factory complete with their angled individual numbers, albeit a day late.
When the cassette edition was finally released in Australia in September 1971 (incidentally using new tapes provided by EMI UK), it appeared without any Apple logos, showing only the Parlophone logo - an error that was never rectified. This was apparently the result of a misreading of the Acceptance Sheet.
Please visit the "Numbered sleeve register" page for more information on Australian numbered sleeves as well as a list of confirmed white album numbers.
Please visit the "Production Master Tape" page for more information on the cassette release and the 1987 white vinyl reissue.
THE AUSTRALIAN VERSION OF THE SLEEVE
EMI UK supplied EMI (Australia) with detailed instructions for the sleeve design, including the embossing of the band's name and the slightly angled placement of the individual numbers. EMI UK also specified the exact quantity of sleeves to be numbered.
In keeping with overseas pressings, the sleeves used for early Australian copies had their disc openings along the top rather than the usual side openings. Black paper inner sleeves were supplied, along with four full-colour portraits, one of each Beatle. A fold-out poster was also included, featuring song lyrics on one side and a photo-collage on the other. However, the Australian poster was censored; pictures and further information can be found on the "Censored Australian poster" page. Also consistent with international counterparts, early Australian pressings were issued in individually numbered sleeves.
The sleeves were printed by Z Nosek & Co, which, at the time, was the only printer in Australia capable of manufacturing gatefold sleeves, having installed new suitable printing equipment at the beginning of 1968.
A single sleeve was produced to accommodate both mono and stereo pressings. Although both the mono and stereo catalogue numbers appeared on the spine, the rear of the sleeve referred only to 'stereo'. Copies containing mono vinyl were therefore fitted with a large black-and-white 'MONO' sticker placed directly over the lone printed word 'stereo'. This sticker was in the same style as the black-and-white 'STEREO' stickers applied to the dual-format sleeves of other Beatles albums, although two variations of the 'MONO' sticker are known.
A miscommunication at Z Nosek nearly led to the entire batch of outer covers being scrapped and reprinted! When the company's General Manager visited the factory to check on progress, he noticed that the numbers had been printed at an angle and thought they looked ridiculous! A quick call to EMI (Australia) (on a Sunday no less!) soon clarified the matter: the angled numbering was intentional. The sleeves were subsequently delivered to the Homebush factory complete with their angled individual numbers, albeit a day late.
When the cassette edition was finally released in Australia in September 1971 (incidentally using new tapes provided by EMI UK), it appeared without any Apple logos, showing only the Parlophone logo - an error that was never rectified. This was apparently the result of a misreading of the Acceptance Sheet.
Please visit the "Numbered sleeve register" page for more information on Australian numbered sleeves as well as a list of confirmed white album numbers.
Please visit the "Production Master Tape" page for more information on the cassette release and the 1987 white vinyl reissue.
SLEEVE INFORMATION
PAGE LAST UPDATED: 30 JUNE 2026