Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers Album

Ladies and gentlemen, I need your fine expertise on the Sticky fingers album.

I recently purchased this album on eBay for a high price, it was advertised as Mint all around even though it was opened. The ad stipulated Shrink wrap with the red tongue sticker on the back and mint jacket and vinyl.

Well I received the album today and at first glance on the cover there was a 2 Inch stain of some sort at bottom left. Checking further I moved the Shrink wrap around a little and concluded it is definately a stain on the Jacket itself. Major disappointment to say the least. I contacted the seller and he swears he never noticed it, but it is a very obvious stain.

Anyway my question to you fine people is (Is it possible the stain was done to the cover at the factory before the shrink wrap was put on? I have an album here with really nice clean looking shrink wrap but a 2 inch stain underneath, is this weird or even possible. And are there people out there who can re Shrink wrap to make it look like factory.

Need your help and opinions

 

I believe it is possible to re shrink

 

To answer one of your questions, yes... anyone can re-shrinkwrap anything to make it look just like it came out of the factory. Of course, you'd need the plastic. And a hair dryer would shrink it tight.

 

it would only require a very small opening to allow liquid (or whatever's caused the stain) inside the shrink... it's 44 years old.
a re-shrink is possible, but is the sticker on the shrink or the sleeve? if on the shrink then it's likely to show signs of having been peeled.

 

The sticker is on the shrink and on the back, and I looked at it closely and it doesn't appear to be damaged from being peeled.

 

then you're entitled to a partial refund as it no longer qualifies as mint... whether the seller is receptive is another matter.

 

Thanks for your input, much appreciated

The sticker is on the shrink and on the back

 

There are a lot of unscrupulous sellers on the Internet, as well as in the brick and mortar used shops, to wit:

http://www.analogplanet.com/content/buying-used-records-cautionary-tale

 

Hmmmmmm !!! interesting article, this is why I don't buy sealed albums, I need to know what's inside. But I still managed to get scamed even though this was an opened album.
I contacted the seller and he re-imbursed me with-out hesitation approx one third of what I paid, thats ok, the vinyl is the 1st pressing and in nice shape. He just happened to think I wouldn't notice the water mark under the shrink wrap. Now I am thinking that I should remove the shrink and see if this an actual working zipper LP as he described

Thanks for your input, much appreciated

The sticker is on the shrink and on the back

 

A good strategy would be to play it and gauge to what degree the record fulfills as a NM or better player.
Someone calling this package mint is telltale of inexperience or just bold sales mumbo jumbo.
Absolutely a small pinhole can be the open flood gate for staining from liquid, bad air and condensation in an imperfect environment, which is what it sounds like happened. I've seen mold creep in that way and get all the way to the contents inside the cover even though still sealed.

The seller should know what mint means and if a seller uses that term then a situation like this should not exist, so if the record is really something and a solid keeper then it sounds like the small bit of stain could not be such a big deal to live with -but you should call him/her on the reckless use of the word mint and basically threaten to return for a refund by whatever means possible because his use of that term was more than likely prodded by the rareness of the shrink and the factory stickers still attached. The neon dollar symbols fogging his vision had him figuring on the weak points getting glossed over.

A first press (I would hope that's what this is) with all the goodies intact like that is a rarity to some degree but like the neon green Lamborghini -if it's got a rust spot over the fender, then that's gonna affect the value.
So if the seller wants to come down to earth with a price you feel is agreeable, then decide based on how nice the record actually is -if the sound really isn't so hot, or for whatever reason the disc just isn't doin' it then a high price for a cover that is almost something extraordinary just seems silly.
Go for the refund if the seller balks, let them sell it to the next bidder or try again -sweet copies of these records come around quite a bit from what I've seen.

 

Thanks for the feedback ub, the vinyl is a 1st pressing thank God and in nice shape, and the original sleeve is in beautiful shape so I am happy about that, but now I have a dilemma on my hands as I feel the album was re-wrapped because of the obvious water-mark underneath, would you people take the shrink off knowing this?

Hmmmmmm !!! interesting article, this is why I don't buy sealed albums, I need to know what's inside. But I still managed to get scamed even though this was an opened album.
I contacted the seller and he re-imbursed me with-out hesitation approx one third of what I paid, thats ok, the vinyl is the 1st pressing and in nice shape.

Thanks for your input, much appreciated

The sticker is on the shrink and on the back

 

So if the disc is a 1st press -then it has a bold font Broadway address across the bottom. First press cover would have the Distributed by Atco line of type on the rear bottom opposite the Broadway address on the back.
Just keep it clean and dry, maybe prop the shrink open a bit on the lower section on the side with the stain and air it out a bit, if it's loose enough maybe wad up some clean tissue and wave it around in that area and shake out anything loose -I don't know what the 2/3 comes to in price but if it's an early press and in nice shape this will always have more value than a bare cover -but mainly because of those hype stickers still attached. Otherwise I wouldn't care how well the zipper works as long as it is intact and where it's supposed to be.

I'm curious what is the plant code on the label? (the last straight line of text on the label: ST-RS-71290-MO or RI or PR or SP or..?)

 

The plant code is ST-RS-712189 PR (COC59100)

Thanks for the feedback ub, the vinyl is a 1st pressing thank God and in nice shape, and the original sleeve is in beautiful shape so I am happy about that, but now I have a dilemma on my hands as I feel the album was re-wrapped because of the obvious water-mark underneath, would you people take the shrink off knowing this?

Hmmmmmm !!! interesting article, this is why I don't buy sealed albums, I need to know what's inside. But I still managed to get scamed even though this was an opened album.
I contacted the seller and he re-imbursed me with-out hesitation approx one third of what I paid, thats ok, the vinyl is the 1st pressing and in nice shape.

Thanks for your input, much appreciated

The sticker is on the shrink and on the back

 

I just now noticed the OP is from Canada and I forgot to ask if all this was about a U.S. copy, PR plant code is pretty much The U.S.
I heard that Canadian copies of this lp can sound pretty dam nice!

 

Sorry, should have mentioned that, I have way too many Canadian albums, this one was special to me and I wanted an American version

 

Sorry, should have mentioned that, I have way too many Canadian albums, this one was special to me and I wanted an American version

Yes it has the bold Broadway and the Atco on the back, this is for sure a 1st pressing so above everything else I am very happy with the Vinyl and original sleeve

 

pictures please, Im curious because I always try to buy "Still Sealed" records.

 

I've tried several times but this site won't let me post pics, if you know how I would like to know. and I would never buy sealed, you never know whats inside, I like to know

 

http://tinypic.com/
and what I expect when I buy a sealed copy? of course a unplayed disc yes is risky but in a lot cases I got what I want... sometimes is hard know what is inside but some details on the jacket reveal what press is inside, but yes again is hard know.

 

Well I learned a lot from this discussion post, it is very easy for people to re-seal an album, very easy, just some shrink wrap and a blow dryer, God only knows how many people do this, thats the scary thing, lot of devious people out there, I just got duped and was not happy, but I am glad to hear you are doing ok with it.

I've tried several times but this site won't let me post pics, if you know how I would like to know. and I would never buy sealed, you never know whats inside, I like to know

 

yes is easy re-seal but! in many cases is easy identify a resealed record than a truly sealed, I have a good eye to identify re-seal records vs real sealed, also some have the original stickers or buy from trusted sellers.

one thing that scammers resealers... have in mind is "if a buyer buy a record sealed is because they want keep it sealed forever, so they can't see if the record is new or not, so we win" but NOT for me, I open! the sealed records... my goal is get in the discs in the best condition possible, not have a museum with everything sealed...
but yeah a lot scammers around! is better open the eyes well.