Album value
Keith Whitley — I Wonder Do You Think of Me.
First-press value.
Keith Whitley finished this record before he died in May 1989, and RCA released it on August 1, three months later. It reached No. 2 on the country albums chart, went gold, and gave him two posthumous No. 1 singles. The only LP issue was RCA 9809-1-R in 1989, pressed in the US and Canada under the same number, and Discogs lists no vinyl reissue since. Clean US copies now sell for $90 and up.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1989. The US first-press shipped on the RCA label.
- US stereo catalog: 9809-1-R
- RIAA certification: Gold (US)
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Keith Whitley vinyl value profile.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- US copies read 'Made in USA', carry barcode 0 7863-59809-1 2, and have runouts beginning 9809-1-R-A and 9809-1-R-B with 'denny georgetown' (Denny Purcell at Georgetown Masters) and the Emw mark of Electrosound Group Midwest
- A Canadian LP uses the same 9809-1-R catalog number and barcode but credits BMG Music Canada as manufacturer; on Discogs it has sold at a median of about $28, against about $87 for the US pressing
- Discogs lists no later vinyl edition, so every LP copy dates from 1989; the album also came out on CD (9809-2-R) and cassette (9809-4-R)
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 |
|---|---|
| 1989 first-press (NM) | $90–$160 |
| 1989 first-press (VG+) | $50–$90 |
| 1989 Canadian pressing (same catalog number), NM | $10–$60 |
What pushes to the top: A near-mint US 9809-1-R with the Emw and Georgetown runouts; NM copies have sold on eBay for $150–160, and sealed copies have brought $133 to $250.
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 RCA design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches 9809-1-R. 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.
A few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (RCA), the catalog number (9809-1-R), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. US copies read 'Made in USA', carry barcode 0 7863-59809-1 2, and have runouts beginning 9809-1-R-A and 9809-1-R-B with 'denny georgetown' (Denny Purcell at Georgetown Masters) and the Emw mark of Electrosound Group Midwest.
A near-mint US 9809-1-R with the Emw and Georgetown runouts; NM copies have sold on eBay for $150–160, and sealed copies have brought $133 to $250 brings the top of the NM range, typically $90–$160.
No. Discogs lists no vinyl reissue. The only other LP is the 1989 Canadian pressing under the same 9809-1-R number, which credits BMG Music Canada and sells for about $10–60, well below a near-mint US copy.
I Wonder Do You Think of Me was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The 9809-1-R pressing is the reference.
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