01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1969. The US first-press shipped on the Enterprise yellow label.
- US stereo catalog: ENS-1001
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1969 Enterprise yellow label (a Stax subsidiary) is the first-press signal
- Original sleeve has the chrome-chain photograph on heavier paper than reissues
- Catalog number ENS-1001 is the first-press; later runs used different prefixes after Stax's reorganization
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) | $40–120 |
| 1969 first-press (VG+) | $20–50 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $15–30 |
What pushes to the top: Enterprise label first-press with NM sleeve.
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 Enterprise yellow design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches ENS-1001. 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.
A few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Enterprise yellow), the catalog number (ENS-1001), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1969 Enterprise yellow label (a Stax subsidiary) is the first-press signal.
Enterprise label first-press with NM sleeve brings the top of the NM range, typically $40–120.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Hot Buttered Soul reissues from later decades trade at $15–30 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
Hot Buttered Soul was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The ENS-1001 pressing is the reference.
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