Album value
Elton John — Honky Château.
First-press value.
The 1972 album with 'Rocket Man' and 'Honky Cat', recorded at the Château d'Hérouville in France and released in May 1972. It was Elton John's first US No. 1 album and his last on the UNI label before MCA folded its labels together. Original UNI 93135 copies in the flap-front envelope jacket usually sell for $5 to $12, and NM copies rarely pass $30.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1972. The US first-press shipped on the UNI label.
- US stereo catalog: 93135
- UK first-press: DJM (UK) DJLPH 423
- RIAA certification: 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.
- UNI 93135 on the spine and 93135 on the front and labels; the 1973 reissue is MCA-2017 and the 1979 reissue is MCA-37064
- The original US jacket is an envelope gatefold with embossed title lettering, a glued-on sepia photo panel and a fold-over flap with a locking tab
- Some MCA-2017 reissues use the same style of jacket but print 'MCA-2017 (FORMERLY 93135)' on the back; check the back corner and the label
- Record-club copies exist; the Capitol Record Club pressing adds SMAS-94440 to the UNI number
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 |
|---|---|
| 1972 first-press (NM) | $12–$30 |
| 1972 first-press (VG+) | $6–$12 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $5–$27 |
What pushes to the top: UNI 93135 with the sepia panel firmly attached and the envelope flap and tab undamaged.
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 UNI design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches 93135. 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
1975 · MCA custom picture label
Elton John — Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy
1975 first press: $7–$14 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1972 · Rolling Stones Records
The Rolling Stones — Exile on Main St.
1972 first press: $25–$80 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (UNI), the catalog number (93135), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. UNI 93135 on the spine and 93135 on the front and labels; the 1973 reissue is MCA-2017 and the 1979 reissue is MCA-37064.
UNI 93135 with the sepia panel firmly attached and the envelope flap and tab undamaged brings the top of the NM range, typically $12–$30.
Often not by much. Honky Château reissues trade at $5–$27 per NM copy, against $12–$30 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.
Honky Château was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The 93135 pressing is the reference.
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