01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1971. The US first-press shipped on the Reprise steamboat label.
- US stereo catalog: MS 2038
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1971 Reprise steamboat label is the first-press signal; by 1973 the label shifted to the burbank palm-tree design
- Original sleeve uses the iconic single-color blue photograph treatment — reissues sometimes vary the cover crop
- Catalog number MS 2038 with no reissue suffix is the first-press
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 |
|---|---|
| 1971 first-press (NM) | $50–150 |
| 1971 first-press (VG+) | $25–60 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $15–30 |
What pushes to the top: Steamboat label, NM sleeve without ringwear or seam splits.
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 Reprise steamboat design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches MS 2038. 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 (Reprise steamboat), the catalog number (MS 2038), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1971 Reprise steamboat label is the first-press signal; by 1973 the label shifted to the burbank palm-tree design.
Steamboat label, NM sleeve without ringwear or seam splits brings the top of the NM range, typically $50–150.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Blue reissues from later decades trade at $15–30 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
Blue was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The MS 2038 pressing is the reference.
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