Album value
Van Halen — 1984.
First-press value.
Released January 9, 1984 and recorded at 5150 Studios in Studio City, 1984 sat at No. 2 for five weeks behind Thriller and has been certified Diamond for ten million US copies. Margo Nahas painted the smoking-cherub cover. With that many copies pressed, most US originals sell for $16 to $22 on Discogs. The one worth looking for is the Quiex II limited edition, pressed by Allied on audiophile vinyl, which sells for about $72.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1984. The US first-press shipped on the Warner Bros. label.
- US stereo catalog: 1-23985
- UK first-press: Warner Bros. (UK) 92-3985-1
- RIAA certification: Diamond (US)
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Van Halen vinyl value profile.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- The labels read 1-23985 while the spine and inner sleeve read 9 23985-1; that split is normal on retail copies
- First pressings print only 1983 copyright dates on the labels, cover and inner sleeve; Discogs lists copies with both 1983 and 1984 dates as a second pressing
- The Quiex II limited edition is an Allied pressing with the 'a' logo stamped in the runout and a hype sticker on the shrink reading 'Quiex II, Limited Edition Pressing'
- W1-23985 on the spine and labels with 'Manufactured by Columbia House Under License' on the back cover is a club edition
- The back cover is printed upside down relative to the front on every copy, so it is not a defect
The matrix runout etched in the dead wax is the definitive identifier when label and catalog number both look era-correct.
03
What it's worth
Recent sold-listing ranges. Pressing, condition, and current market all move the number.
| Pressing & condition | Recent sold |
|---|---|
| 1984 first-press (NM) | $20–$45 |
| 1984 first-press (VG+) | $10–$20 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $15–$25 |
What pushes to the top: The Quiex II limited edition with its hype sticker; Discogs sales run from $40 to $120, median about $72.
Sources: Discogs sold listings (90-day window), Popsike.com auction archive, Goldmine Record Album Price Guide.
04
If you have one
Pull the record. Check the label first against the Warner Bros. design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches 1-23985. Then check the matrix runout in the dead wax. All three lining up is the first-press confirmation.
Or scan with Crown Vinyl. The app reads the label, catalog number, and matrix runout from a single photograph, returns the exact pressing, and pulls a current value from recent real sales. Free on the App Store.
Keep checking the shelf
More first pressings worth knowing.
Nearby years, matching labels, and more records by the same artist.
1981 · Warner Bros.
Van Halen — Fair Warning
1981 first press: $8–$18 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1978 · Warner Bros. Burbank palm-tree
Van Halen — Van Halen
1978 first press: $10–$20 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1984 · Philips
Junko Ohashi — Magical
1984 first press: $120–$250 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Warner Bros.), the catalog number (1-23985), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. The labels read 1-23985 while the spine and inner sleeve read 9 23985-1; that split is normal on retail copies.
The Quiex II limited edition with its hype sticker; Discogs sales run from $40 to $120, median about $72 brings the top of the NM range, typically $20–$45.
Not by much. The 2015 180-gram remaster (R1 547641) and the 2022 Walmart edition (R1 670900) both sell for about $20 on Discogs, about the same as a 1984 copy. Two editions sell for more: the 1984 Quiex II limited pressing at about $72, and Mobile Fidelity's 2026 UltraDisc One-Step (UD1S 2-037) at about $130.
1984 was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The 1-23985 pressing is the reference.
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