Album value
Led Zeppelin — Untitled (IV).
First-press value.
Led Zeppelin's fourth album was issued in November 1971 with no band name and no title on the cover — only the four runes. The original 1971 Atlantic pressing carries SD 7208 in the matrix; the album has been pressed continuously since and clean first-press copies in NM are scarce.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1971. The US first-press shipped on the Atlantic red-and-plum label.
- US stereo catalog: SD 7208
- UK first-press: Atlantic (UK) 2401 012
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1971 Atlantic red-and-plum label is the first-press signal — by 1974 the label shifted to a green-and-red design
- Original inner sleeve has the Stairway to Heaven lyrics printed in calligraphy on heavy stock
- Original matrix runout codes start ST-A-712451 (Side A) and ST-A-712452 (Side B); cuts 1 and 2 are 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 |
|---|---|
| 1971 first-press (NM) | $100–350 |
| 1971 first-press (VG+) | $50–150 |
| Sealed authenticated original | $700–2,000 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $15–35 |
What pushes to the top: Original inner sleeve intact and unfaded.
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 7208. 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 7208), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1971 Atlantic red-and-plum label is the first-press signal — by 1974 the label shifted to a green-and-red design.
Original inner sleeve intact and unfaded brings the top of the NM range, typically $100–350. Authenticated sealed first-press copies reach $700–2,000 when verified by Heritage Auctions or a specialist dealer.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Untitled (IV) reissues from later decades trade at $15–35 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
Untitled (IV) was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The SD 7208 pressing is the reference.
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