Click to enlarge cover
February 2008
- Covergirl Kimberly Holland Photographed by George Georgiou
- Pennelope Jimenez
- Jillian Grace
- Tiffany Fallon
- Heather Rene Smith
This issue is currently not available for purchase.
1 Tiffany Taylor
2 Heather Rene Smith
4 Pennelope Jimenez
6 Kimberly Holland
8 Jillian Grace
10 Tiffany Fallon
12 Vanessa Hoelsher
14 Destiny Davis
16 Lani Todd
18 Krista Kelly
20 Sandra Hubby
22 Nicole Whitehead
23 Stephanie Larimore
24 Sara Jean Underwood
26 Qiana Chase
28 Kara Monaco
30 Raquel Gibson
Editorial Note
You're about to uncover the sexiest, hottest Playmates ever to appear in PLAYBOY!
Now you can have them all to yourself in one revealing pictorial — completely uncensored. Come inside PLAYBOY's SEXY NUDE PLAYMATES. This exclusive collector's edition shows you a steamy side of some very hot Playmates for the first time.
Never before have you seen Playmates this exposed, this enticing, this erotic
— with each photo hotter than the next! Whether they're topless or just
slipping in and out of some very sexy lingerie, you'll uncover the provocative
side of the world's most beautiful women — totally nude. Now get ready!
These Playmates are so sexy and hot — you'll want to see them over and over
again! You're not going to believe your eyes as you look at one incredible photo
after another.
- Covergirl Kimberly Holland Photographed by George Georgiou
- Pennelope Jimenez
- Jillian Grace
- Tiffany Fallon
- Heather Rene Smith
Playboy's original title was to be "Stag Party," but an unrelated outdoor magazine, Stag, contacted Hefner and informed him that they would legally protect their trademark if he were to launch his magazine with that name. Hefner and co-founder and executive vice president Eldon Sellers met to discuss the problem and to seek a new name. Sellers, whose mother had worked for the short-lived Playboy Automobile Company in Chicago, suggested the name "Playboy".
The first issue, published in December 1953, did not carry a date, as Hugh Hefner was unsure whether there would be a second issue. The first centerfold was Marilyn Monroe, although the picture used had originally been taken for a calendar, rather than for Playboy. The first issue was an immediate sensation; it sold out within a matter of weeks. Known circulation was 53,991 (Source: Playboy Collector's Association Playboy Magazine Price Guide). The cover price was 50¢. Copies of the first issue in Mint to Near Mint condition fetched over $8,000 in 2007.
The famous logo, depicting the stylized profile of a rabbit wearing a tuxedo bow tie, was designed by art designer Art Paul for the magazine's second issue and has appeared on every issue since; a running joke in the magazine involves hiding the logo somewhere in the cover art or photograph. Hefner said that he chose the rabbit as a mascot for its "humorous sexual connotation", and because the image was "frisky and playful".
An urban legend started about Hefner and the Playmates of the Month because of markings on the front covers of the magazine. From 1955 to 1979 (except for a six month gap in 1976), the "P" in Playboy had a number of stars printed in or around the letter. The legend stated that this was either a rating
that Hefner gave to the Playmate according to how attractive she was, the number of times that Hefner had slept with her, or how good she was in bed. The stars, which ranged in number between zero and twelve, actually indicated the domestic
or international advertising region for that printing.
Since reaching its peak in the 1970s, Playboy has seen a decline in circulation and cultural relevance because of increased competition in the field it founded — first from Penthouse, Oui, and Gallery in the 1970s; later from pornographic videos; and more recently from lad mags such as Maxim, FHM, and Stuff. In response Playboy has attempted to re-assert its hold on the 18–35 male demographic it once controlled through slight changes to its content and focusing on issues and personalities more appropriate to its audience—such as hip-hop artists being featured in the Playboy Interview.
Christie Hefner, a daughter of Hugh Hefner, became the CEO of Playboy in 1988 and is now also the Chairman of the Board.
The magazine celebrated its 50th Anniversary with the January 2004 issue. Celebrations were held at Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, and Moscow during the year to commemorate this event.
The best-selling Playboy edition was the November 1972 edition, which sold 7,161,561 copies. One-fourth of all American college men were buying the magazine every month. It is interesting to note that although this issue is available in abundance, it is very difficult for collectors to find this issue in excellent condition. The black ink on the cover wore off easily and it is difficult to find this issue with a bright clean crisp black color. A Near Mint copy of this issue is a hard find.
Perhaps coincidentally, a cropped image of the issue's centerfold (which featured Lena Soderberg) became a standard image for testing image processing algorithms. It is known simply as the "Lenna" (also "Lena") image in that field.
Many people ask about Playboy UK, Playboy USA is the same issue that was issued in the UK because there was no need to translate the magazine. So, Playboy USA and Playboy UK are the same magazine.
Playboy is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. Notable for its centerfolds of nude and semi-nude models (Playmates), Playboy played an important role in the sexual revolution and remains one of the world's best-known brands, having grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with a presence in nearly every medium. In addition to the flagship magazine in the United States, special nation-specific versions of Playboy are published worldwide.
The magazine has a long history of publishing short stories by notable novelists such as Arthur C. Clarke, Ian Fleming, Vladimir Nabokov, Saul Bellow, Chuck Palahniuk, P. G. Wodehouse, Roald Dahl, Haruki Murakami, and Margaret Atwood. With a regular display of full-page color cartoons, it became a showcase for notable cartoonists, including Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Cole, Eldon Dedini, Jules Feiffer, Shel Silverstein, Erich Sokol, Roy Raymonde, Gahan Wilson, and Rowland B. Wilson. Playboy features monthly interviews of notable public figures, such as artists, architects, economists, composers, conductors, film directors, journalists, novelists, playwrights, religious figures, politicians, athletes, and race car drivers. The magazine generally reflects a liberal editorial stance, although it often interviews conservative celebrities.
4
★★★★☆
1 review — out of 5
Terry Clifton
January 3, 2014
★★★★☆
Super cool
Great customer service, I love this magazine.