Album value
Billy Joel — 52nd Street.
First-press value.
Released in October 1978, the follow-up to The Stranger became Billy Joel's first No. 1 album, held the top spot for eight non-consecutive weeks and won the Grammy for Album of the Year. It was also one of the first albums issued on compact disc, in Japan in October 1982. Columbia pressed the LP in very large numbers, and most US copies of FC 35609 sell for under $10.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1978. The US first-press shipped on the Columbia, with Family Productions logo label.
- US stereo catalog: FC 35609
- UK first-press: CBS (UK) CBS 83181
- RIAA certification: 7× Platinum (US)
The center label is only the first clue. See the full Columbia red label (1970s) identification guide.
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Billy Joel vinyl value profile.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- FC 35609 on the label and spine, 35609 on the back cover and inner sleeve; PC 35609 with a barcode is the mid-1980s budget reissue
- The dead wax is stamped STERLING, usually with 'TJ' etched, plus a plant letter: S (Santa Maria), T (Terre Haute) or P (Pitman). Copies from the Keel and Apex plants are from the same era
- Lyrics are printed on the back cover; the inner sleeve carries the credits and photos of the band
- Promotional copies have white labels printed 'Demonstration Not For Sale' above the Family Productions logo
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 |
|---|---|
| 1978 first-press (NM) | $15–$35 |
| 1978 first-press (VG+) | $5–$12 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $5–$22 |
What pushes to the top: A white-label 'Demonstration Not For Sale' promo, which has sold for a median of about $36 on Discogs; the 1981 CBS Mastersound half-speed issue (HC 45609) sells for about $28.
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 Columbia, with Family Productions logo design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches FC 35609. 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.
1977 · Columbia, with Family Productions logo
Billy Joel — The Stranger
1977 first press: $10–$20 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1983 · Columbia, with Family Productions logo
Billy Joel — An Innocent Man
1983 first press: $4–$10 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1978 · Epic orange
Boston — Don't Look Back
1978 first press: $5–$10 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Columbia, with Family Productions logo), the catalog number (FC 35609), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. FC 35609 on the label and spine, 35609 on the back cover and inner sleeve; PC 35609 with a barcode is the mid-1980s budget reissue.
A white-label 'Demonstration Not For Sale' promo, which has sold for a median of about $36 on Discogs; the 1981 CBS Mastersound half-speed issue (HC 45609) sells for about $28 brings the top of the NM range, typically $15–$35.
Often not by much. 52nd Street reissues trade at $5–$22 per NM copy, against $15–$35 for a near-mint first pressing. A worn original can sell for less than a clean reissue, so condition matters as much as which pressing it is.
52nd Street was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The FC 35609 pressing is the reference.
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