Album value
Boston — Boston.
First-press value.
Tom Scholz recorded most of this album at his home studio in Massachusetts, and Epic released it in August 1976. It is certified 17× Platinum, so originals are easy to find. The copy to look for is the first issue on orange Epic labels with PE 34188 on the spine. Most sell for $13 to $16 on Discogs.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1976. The US first-press shipped on the Epic orange label.
- US stereo catalog: PE 34188
- UK first-press: Epic (UK) S EPC 81611
- RIAA certification: 17× Platinum (US)
The center label is only the first clue. See the full Epic orange and blue labels identification guide.
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Boston vinyl value profile.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- PE 34188 on the spine and labels, and only '34188' on the back cover above the Epic logo; no barcode
- Later budget-line copies use the JE 34188 prefix, add a barcode and moved to the blue Epic label
- Runouts with a stamped 'MASTERED BY CAPITOL' and Wally Traugott's etched 'Wly' initials are the cut collectors look for; not every PE copy has them
- UK first pressings have orange labels with no label code or speed printed; later UK represses add both
- The 2010 Friday Music 180-gram reissue (FRM 34188) often sells for more than an original
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 |
|---|---|
| 1976 first-press (NM) | $20–$45 |
| 1976 first-press (VG+) | $8–$16 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $10–$25 |
What pushes to the top: Orange-label PE 34188 with 'Wly' and 'MASTERED BY CAPITOL' in both runouts, in a jacket with no seam or ring wear.
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 orange design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches PE 34188. 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.
1978 · Epic orange
Boston — Don't Look Back
1978 first press: $5–$10 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1976 · Tamla yellow-rim
Stevie Wonder — Songs in the Key of Life
1976 first press: $20–$50 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1976 · Asylum maroon
Eagles — Hotel California
1976 first press: $15–$40 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Epic orange), the catalog number (PE 34188), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. PE 34188 on the spine and labels, and only '34188' on the back cover above the Epic logo; no barcode.
Orange-label PE 34188 with 'Wly' and 'MASTERED BY CAPITOL' in both runouts, in a jacket with no seam or ring wear brings the top of the NM range, typically $20–$45.
Often not by much. Boston reissues trade at $10–$25 per NM copy, against $20–$45 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.
Boston was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The PE 34188 pressing is the reference.
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