01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1973. The US first-press shipped on the Tamla Detroit-map label.
- US stereo catalog: T7-326
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Stevie Wonder vinyl value profile.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1973 Tamla Detroit-map label is the first-press signal
- Original sleeve has the iconic Efram Wolff illustration on heavier paper than reissues
- Catalog number T7-326 with no reissue suffix is the first-press
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 |
|---|---|
| 1973 first-press (NM) | $30–$100 |
| 1973 first-press (VG+) | $15–$50 |
| Sealed authenticated original | $200–$500 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $10–$25 |
What pushes to the top: NM gatefold sleeve, Detroit-map Tamla label.
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 Tamla Detroit-map design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches T7-326. 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.
1976 · Tamla yellow-rim
Stevie Wonder — Songs in the Key of Life
1976 first press: $20–$50 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1971 · Tamla Detroit-map
Marvin Gaye — What's Going On
1971 first press: $25–$60 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1973 · MCA black
The Who — Quadrophenia
1973 first press: $25–$60 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Tamla Detroit-map), the catalog number (T7-326), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1973 Tamla Detroit-map label is the first-press signal.
NM gatefold sleeve, Detroit-map Tamla label brings the top of the NM range, typically $30–$100. Authenticated sealed first-press copies reach $200–$500 when verified by Heritage Auctions or a specialist dealer.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Innervisions reissues from later decades trade at $10–$25 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
Innervisions was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The T7-326 pressing is the reference.
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