Album value
Pat Benatar — In the Heat of the Night.
First-press value.
Pat Benatar's debut, released on Chrysalis on August 27, 1979, with 'Heartbreaker' and 'I Need a Lover'. It took six months to climb to No. 12 in March 1980 and was certified Platinum. US copies were pressed in very large numbers and usually sell for $3 to $8. The version that sells for more is the 1981 Mobile Fidelity half-speed master, not the original.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1979. The US first-press shipped on the Chrysalis white-to-blue fade with butterfly logo label.
- US stereo catalog: CHR 1236 (also CHE 1236)
- RIAA certification: Platinum
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Pat Benatar vinyl value profile.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1979 US labels fade from white at the top to blue at the bottom, with the butterfly logo and '℗ 1979 Chrysalis Records'. Copies exist with both CHR 1236 and CHE 1236 printed on the label
- A Discogs-listed CHR 1236 variant with stamped runouts (CHR-1236 A-1B / B-1B) is noted as having the original mix of 'We Live for Love'. Contributors say later pressings add a heavier guitar track
- Columbia House club copies are marked CRC and sell for the same few dollars as standard copies
- Mobile Fidelity MFSL 1-057 (May 1981) was half-speed mastered from the original stereo master tape and pressed by JVC. Discogs median about $35, with clean copies past $100
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 |
|---|---|
| 1979 first-press (NM) | $8–$25 |
| 1979 first-press (VG+) | $3–$8 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $5–$35 |
What pushes to the top: Stamped-runout CHR 1236 with the original 'We Live for Love' mix in clean condition; for real money, the MFSL 1-057 half-speed master.
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 Chrysalis white-to-blue fade with butterfly logo design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches CHR 1236 (also CHE 1236). 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.
1980 · Chrysalis custom blue photo label
Pat Benatar — Crimes of Passion
1980 first press: $3–$8 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1979 · Epic
Michael Jackson — Off the Wall
1979 first press: $15–$35 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1979 · Warner Bros. speckled custom label
Fleetwood Mac — Tusk
1979 first press: $10–$18 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Chrysalis white-to-blue fade with butterfly logo), the catalog number (CHR 1236 (also CHE 1236)), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1979 US labels fade from white at the top to blue at the bottom, with the butterfly logo and '℗ 1979 Chrysalis Records'. Copies exist with both CHR 1236 and CHE 1236 printed on the label.
Stamped-runout CHR 1236 with the original 'We Live for Love' mix in clean condition; for real money, the MFSL 1-057 half-speed master brings the top of the NM range, typically $8–$25.
Often not by much. In the Heat of the Night reissues trade at $5–$35 per NM copy, against $8–$25 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.
In the Heat of the Night was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The CHR 1236 (also CHE 1236) pressing is the reference.
Free to startNo adsPrivate by defaultCloud syncBuilt for iOS