Album value
Frank Ocean — Blond.
First-press value.
Frank Ocean released Blond digitally in August 2016. Its first official vinyl was sold for just 24 hours, on Black Friday, November 25, 2016, through boysdontcry.co for $35. That double LP, titled 'blond' and pressed by Optimal Media in Germany, now sells for roughly $400 to $700. The only other official vinyl is Blonded's 2022 reissue. Dozens of colored-vinyl bootlegs fill the gap between the two.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 2016. The US first-press shipped on the Boys Don't Cry (2016 Black Friday 2×LP) label.
- US stereo catalog: XLLP846 (etched in the runouts)
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- Genuine 2016 runouts read XLLP846 with the Optimal Media job number BG55863 (for example 'XLLP 846 VV BG55863-01 A1 KR'). The barcode is 8 83958 01421 9
- First copies came with a 'Black Friday' sticker on the shrink. Copies pressed later to fill backorders list XL Recordings on the back of the sleeve and have no sticker
- A counterfeit copies the 2016 runouts and barcode but has Marilyn Monroe center labels and crudely etched matrix numbers. Check the labels as well as the dead wax
- Colored, marbled, clear and 'promo' copies are unofficial. Discogs lists dozens under Not On Label with catalog numbers such as B01KRKL6R8 or DJX-3307, many marked Italy or Europe. Both official pressings are black vinyl
- The 2022 Blonded reissue is titled 'Blonde', catalog BLNDD002, made in the Czech Republic (runouts 'BLNDD002-A 244489E1'), with a 12 x 36 inch lyrics foldout and a 12 x 24 inch poster. Blonded sold identical runs again in December 2023, November 2024 and April 2026
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 |
|---|---|
| 2016 first-press (NM) | $350–$700 |
| 2016 first-press (VG+) | $250–$400 |
| 2022 Blonded reissue (BLNDD002), NM | $85–$160 |
What pushes to the top: An early 2016 copy still in shrink with the Black Friday sticker, Optimal BG55863 runouts and an unsplit gatefold.
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 Boys Don't Cry (2016 Black Friday 2×LP) design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches XLLP846 (etched in the runouts). 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.
2017 · Big Machine Records (picture disc)
Taylor Swift — Reputation
2017 first press: $60–$120 in VG+ condition.
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1966 · Capitol black rainbow-rim
The Beach Boys — Pet Sounds
1966 first press: $40–$100 in VG+ condition.
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1967 · Elektra gold label
The Doors — The Doors
1967 first press: $50–$120 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Boys Don't Cry (2016 Black Friday 2×LP)), the catalog number (XLLP846 (etched in the runouts)), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. Genuine 2016 runouts read XLLP846 with the Optimal Media job number BG55863 (for example 'XLLP 846 VV BG55863-01 A1 KR'). The barcode is 8 83958 01421 9.
An early 2016 copy still in shrink with the Black Friday sticker, Optimal BG55863 runouts and an unsplit gatefold brings the top of the NM range, typically $350–$700.
The 2016 pressing was sold for one day, on Black Friday, and the 2022 Blonded BLNDD002 was made to stay available. The reissue trades for about $85–160 near mint, against $350–700 for the 2016 original. Colored 'promo' copies are bootlegs worth far less than either.
Blond was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The XLLP846 (etched in the runouts) pressing is the reference.
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