Album value
Nick Drake — Five Leaves Left.
First-press value.
Nick Drake's debut, produced by Joe Boyd and released by Island in the UK in July 1969. It sold few copies at the time, and the first UK pressing on the pink Island label with the black 'block' logo now sells for four figures. There was no US release until Antilles issued it in 1976, so most American copies are later issues that trade between $20 and $100.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1969. The UK first-press shipped on the Island pink 'block' logo label.
- UK stereo catalog: ILPS 9105
- First US issue: Antilles AN-7010 (1976)
The center label is only the first clue. See the full Island pink label identification guide.
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Nick Drake vinyl value profile.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- The 1969 UK first pressing is on the pink Island label with the black 'block' logo; pink-rim 'palm tree' labels mean the 1972 reissue, which came in a second gatefold printed by Robor
- The first-issue gatefold is matt and unlaminated, printed by Ernest J. Day, with the Island logo and Basing Street address along the bottom of the back cover. The 1972 sleeve drops the address
- The earliest labels and sleeves list 'Way to Blue' and 'Day Is Done' in the wrong order. A corrected side A label followed, and Orlake pressed a rough-textured label variant with a raised rim; all of these are 1969 originals
- The US first issue is Antilles AN-7010 (1976, Terre Haute, KENDUN in the runout). Discogs median is about $99; 1978 and 1984 Antilles represses sell for about $65 to $75
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 |
|---|---|
| 1969 first-press (NM) | $1,500–$3,400 |
| 1969 first-press (VG+) | $450–$900 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $20–$100 |
What pushes to the top: A 1969 pink 'block' label copy, smooth or Orlake rough label, in a clean first-issue Ernest J. Day sleeve with the Basing Street address.
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 Island pink 'block' logo design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches ILPS 9105. 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.
1971 · Island pink-rim 'palm tree'
Nick Drake — Bryter Layter
1971 first press: $250–$550 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1972 · Island pink-rim 'palm tree'
Nick Drake — Pink Moon
1972 first press: $300–$600 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1969 · Decca gold-and-black
The Who — Tommy
1969 first press: $40–$100 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Island pink 'block' logo), the catalog number (ILPS 9105), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. The 1969 UK first pressing is on the pink Island label with the black 'block' logo; pink-rim 'palm tree' labels mean the 1972 reissue, which came in a second gatefold printed by Robor.
A 1969 pink 'block' label copy, smooth or Orlake rough label, in a clean first-issue Ernest J. Day sleeve with the Basing Street address brings the top of the NM range, typically $1,500–$3,400.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Five Leaves Left reissues from later decades trade at $20–$100 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
Five Leaves Left was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The ILPS 9105 pressing is the reference.
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