Album value
Michael Jackson — Bad.
First-press value.
Released August 31, 1987 on Epic and certified 11× Platinum in the US, Bad is newer than most records people think of as collectible, but the original US LP sells for more than Thriller. On Discogs the Carrollton pressing has a median around $65 and the Hub-Servall pressing around $40, while UK copies and picture discs sit nearer $20 to $25.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1987. The US first-press shipped on the Epic label.
- US stereo catalog: OE 40600
- UK first-press: Epic (UK) 450290 1
- RIAA certification: 11× Platinum (US)
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Michael Jackson vinyl value profile.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- Labels read E 40600 and the spine reads OE 40600. Both belong to the same 1987 US issue
- Gatefold jacket with a printed lyric inner sleeve
- The original LP has ten tracks. 'Leave Me Alone' was a CD bonus track and was left off original vinyl
- Carrollton copies have G1, G2 or G3 etched in the runout; Hub-Servall copies have HuB etched
- Some copies have a gold promo stamp on the back of the jacket
- The 1987 US picture disc (9E9-44043) usually sells for about $20 to $25
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 |
|---|---|
| 1987 first-press (NM) | $45–$100 |
| 1987 first-press (VG+) | $20–$45 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $20–$35 |
What pushes to the top: Near mint Carrollton copy with a clean gatefold and the lyric inner sleeve.
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 Epic design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches OE 40600. 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.
1982 · Epic
Michael Jackson — Thriller
1982 first press: $10–$25 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1979 · Epic
Michael Jackson — Off the Wall
1979 first press: $15–$35 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1985 · Warner Bros. white label (ghosted shields)
Dire Straits — Brothers in Arms
1985 first press: $8–$20 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Epic), the catalog number (OE 40600), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. Labels read E 40600 and the spine reads OE 40600. Both belong to the same 1987 US issue.
Near mint Carrollton copy with a clean gatefold and the lyric inner sleeve brings the top of the NM range, typically $45–$100.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Bad reissues from later decades trade at $20–$35 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
Bad was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The OE 40600 pressing is the reference.
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