Album value
Dire Straits — Brothers in Arms.
First-press value.
Released in May 1985 on Vertigo in the UK and Warner Bros. in the US, Brothers in Arms was the first album to sell a million copies on CD. The LP was the shorter version: to fit on one disc, four songs were edited, including 'Money for Nothing'. Original 1985 LPs are plentiful and usually sell for about $20. The full-length double-LP reissues are often worth more than the originals.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1985. The US first-press shipped on the Warner Bros. white label (ghosted shields).
- US stereo catalog: 1-25264
- UK first-press: Vertigo (UK) VERH 25
- RIAA certification: 9× Platinum (US)
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Dire Straits vinyl value profile.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- The single LP is about nine minutes shorter than the 55-minute CD. 'So Far Away', 'Money for Nothing', 'Your Latest Trick' and 'Why Worry' are shorter on the original vinyl
- US labels read 1-25264; the spine and inner sleeve read 9 25264-1
- RL (Bob Ludwig) and MASTERDISK appear in the runouts of US and UK copies
- Specialty pressings have 'E A S T' embossed around the center hole on side B and SP etched in the runout
- A limited Quiex II promo on translucent vinyl sells for around $55, against about $20 for stock copies
- Columbia House and RCA Music Service club editions were also pressed; check the jacket and runout before pricing a copy as a retail 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 |
|---|---|
| 1985 first-press (NM) | $20–$45 |
| 1985 first-press (VG+) | $8–$20 |
| Sealed authenticated original | $60–$100 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $30–$50 |
What pushes to the top: Sealed 1985 copy with the hype sticker, or the Quiex II promo in near mint condition.
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 Warner Bros. white label (ghosted shields) design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches 1-25264. 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.
1980 · Warner Bros. tan (narrow horizontal lines)
Dire Straits — Making Movies
1980 first press: $8–$18 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1985 · RCA Victor
Keith Whitley — L.A. to Miami
1985 first press: $45–$100 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1987 · Epic
Michael Jackson — Bad
1987 first press: $20–$45 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Warner Bros. white label (ghosted shields)), the catalog number (1-25264), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. The single LP is about nine minutes shorter than the 55-minute CD. 'So Far Away', 'Money for Nothing', 'Your Latest Trick' and 'Why Worry' are shorter on the original vinyl.
Sealed 1985 copy with the hype sticker, or the Quiex II promo in near mint condition brings the top of the NM range, typically $20–$45. Authenticated sealed first-press copies reach $60–$100 when verified by Heritage Auctions or a specialist dealer.
Often not by much. Brothers in Arms reissues trade at $30–$50 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.
Brothers in Arms was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The 1-25264 pressing is the reference.
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