01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1970. The US first-press shipped on the Columbia 360 Sound label.
- US stereo catalog: GP 26
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- Original 1970 360 Sound stereo label with red-and-black two-eye design
- Gatefold sleeve with intact Mati Klarwein artwork on both inner panels — surviving NM gatefolds are scarce
- Catalog number GP 26 with no reissue suffix is the first-press; 1970s CBS reissues used different prefixes
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 |
|---|---|
| 1970 first-press (NM) | $60–200 |
| 1970 first-press (VG+) | $30–80 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $20–50 |
What pushes to the top: Intact gatefold artwork without ringwear.
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 360 Sound design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches GP 26. 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.
A few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Columbia 360 Sound), the catalog number (GP 26), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. Original 1970 360 Sound stereo label with red-and-black two-eye design.
Intact gatefold artwork without ringwear brings the top of the NM range, typically $60–200.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Bitches Brew reissues from later decades trade at $20–50 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
Bitches Brew was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The GP 26 pressing is the reference.
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