Album value
Elton John — Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.
First-press value.
Released in May 1975 on MCA-2142, this was the first album to enter the Billboard 200 at No. 1, and it was certified gold on advance orders before it reached stores. The US first issue came with a gatefold of Alan Aldridge's artwork, two booklets ('Lyrics' and 'Scraps'), a fold-out poster and a fan-club insert. Most copies sell for under $15; complete ones sell for more.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1975. The US first-press shipped on the MCA custom picture label.
- US stereo catalog: MCA-2142
- UK first-press: DJM (UK) DJLPX 1
- RIAA certification: 3× Platinum (US)
The center label is only the first clue. See the full MCA black rainbow identification guide.
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Elton John vinyl value profile.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- MCA-2142 in a gatefold jacket with four inserts: the 'Lyrics' book, the 'Scraps' book, a fold-out color poster and a fan-club insert
- The 1980 reissue, MCA-37066, has a single-pocket jacket, no inserts and a plain white inner sleeve
- Runouts show the plant: a stamped G between two small boxes (Gloversville) or a P between two small diamonds (Pinckneyville)
- UK DJM copies pressed at Tranco look reddish and translucent when held up to a strong light
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 |
|---|---|
| 1975 first-press (NM) | $15–$35 |
| 1975 first-press (VG+) | $7–$14 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $6–$30 |
What pushes to the top: Both booklets, the poster and the fan-club insert present and unmarked, with a clean 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 MCA custom picture label design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches MCA-2142. 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.
1973 · MCA black label with rainbow
Elton John — Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
1973 first press: $10–$20 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1972 · UNI
Elton John — Honky Château
1972 first press: $6–$12 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1975 · Columbia orange-and-yellow
Bruce Springsteen — Born to Run
1975 first press: $20–$50 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (MCA custom picture label), the catalog number (MCA-2142), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. MCA-2142 in a gatefold jacket with four inserts: the 'Lyrics' book, the 'Scraps' book, a fold-out color poster and a fan-club insert.
Both booklets, the poster and the fan-club insert present and unmarked, with a clean gatefold brings the top of the NM range, typically $15–$35.
Often not by much. Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy reissues trade at $6–$30 per NM copy, against $15–$35 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.
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The MCA-2142 pressing is the reference.
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