Elvis Presley monaural pressing of Speedway! Since the early 1960’s, RCA Victor Records had released the majority of their LP line in dual formats, monaural and stereo. The monaural releases are denoted with the prefix LPM, while the stereo is denoted by LSP. In 1968, the monaural format was phased out in favor of stereo. The later releases of 1968 were pressed in very limited quantities. Though it is not known the quantities, it is known that collectors will pay a premium for many of these releases. On such release is the last Elvis Presley album printed in dual formats, the rare monaural pressing of Speedway with catalog number LPM-3989.
It is interesting to note that this release is not listed in the 1978 discography listing of The Boy Who Dared To Rock. This is either an oversight or was not known to exist at the time of the pressing.
Mfg: RCA Victor Records
Catalog: LPM-3989
Title: Speedway
Artist: Elvis Presley
Release: 6/1968
Book Value: $3,000 – $4,000
This LP would be found on Billboard’s Hot LP chart for thirteen weeks after its entry on July 6, 1968, when it was number 82.
COVER 1: Front: Nipper logo at top center, number at lower left.
DISC 1: Black label, “Monaural” at bottom.
WPRM-1034-1S/WPRM-1035-1S.
INNER SLEEVE 1: 21-11201 40D (6/1968)
Red, black and white. Front: RCA’s Elvis LP catalog, most recent being Elvis’ Gold Records, Vol. 4 (side 1, row 4, column 5). Back: RCA’s Elvis LP and Twin Pack Stereo 8 catalog.
INSERT 1: Color 8″ x 10″ Elvis (circa 1962) photo, signed “Sincerely, Elvis Presley.” Back lists other RCA Elvis records.
SHRINK STICKER 1: Red and white, reads: “Special Bonus, for a limited time only, full color photo of Elvis.”
Sources
Paul Lichter, The Boy Who Dared to Rock: The Definite Elvis (New York: Dolphin Books, 1978)
Jerry Osborne & Robert Alaniz, Presleyana V (Washington: Osborne Enterprises, 2002), p. 293