Album value
The Rolling Stones — Let It Bleed.
First-press value.
Released December 1969 on Decca in the UK and London in the US. The album shipped with the Robert Brownjohn-designed cake cover and a fold-out poster insert. The original UK Decca first-press is the collector reference.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1969. The US first-press shipped on the London maroon label.
- US stereo catalog: NPS 4
- US mono catalog: LL 3539
- UK first-press: Decca (UK) SKL 5025
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- Original 1969 Decca unboxed label with the 'ffrr' logo at the bottom is the UK first-press signal
- Original fold-out poster insert was tucked in the gatefold sleeve — most surviving copies are missing it
- The mono Decca pressing (LK 5025) is rarer than stereo; UK mono is the audiophile reference
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 |
|---|---|
| 1969 first-press (NM) | $150–400 |
| 1969 first-press (VG+) | $70–200 |
| Sealed authenticated original | $800–2,500 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $20–40 |
What pushes to the top: UK Decca mono first-press with intact poster insert.
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 London maroon design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches NPS 4 (or LL 3539 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 (London maroon), the catalog number (NPS 4 for stereo, LL 3539 for mono), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. Original 1969 Decca unboxed label with the 'ffrr' logo at the bottom is the UK first-press signal.
UK Decca mono first-press with intact poster insert brings the top of the NM range, typically $150–400. Authenticated sealed first-press copies reach $800–2,500 when verified by Heritage Auctions or a specialist dealer.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Let It Bleed reissues from later decades trade at $20–40 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
It depends on the album. For Let It Bleed, The mono Decca pressing (LK 5025) is rarer than stereo; UK mono is the audiophile reference.
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