Album value
Aretha Franklin — I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You.
First-press value.
Aretha Franklin's first Atlantic LP, released March 1967, recorded largely at Muscle Shoals. The original mono and stereo first-presses on Atlantic's red-and-plum label are the collector reference.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1967. The US first-press shipped on the Atlantic red-and-plum label.
- US stereo catalog: SD 8139
- US mono catalog: 8139
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1967 Atlantic red-and-plum label with the bottom-center 'Atlantic Recording Corp.' credit
- Stereo SD 8139 first-press with the 'plum' label is the audiophile reference
- Original sleeve uses the iconic portrait photograph — reissues sometimes vary the crop and color
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 |
|---|---|
| 1967 first-press (NM) | $60–180 |
| 1967 first-press (VG+) | $30–80 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $15–30 |
What pushes to the top: Stereo red-and-plum first-press in NM with intact original 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 Atlantic red-and-plum design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches SD 8139 (or 8139 for mono). 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 (Atlantic red-and-plum), the catalog number (SD 8139 for stereo, 8139 for mono), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1967 Atlantic red-and-plum label with the bottom-center 'Atlantic Recording Corp.' credit.
Stereo red-and-plum first-press in NM with intact original sleeve brings the top of the NM range, typically $60–180.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You 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.
It depends on the album. For I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Stereo SD 8139 first-press with the 'plum' label is the audiophile reference.
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