Album value
Queen — News of the World.
First-press value.
Released October 28, 1977 in the UK on EMI and on November 1 in the US on Elektra, opening with "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions." It reached No. 3 in the US and sold in the millions, so a US original usually sells for $12 to $15. A modern half-speed reissue can sell for more.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1977. The US first-press shipped on the Elektra (custom album labels).
- US stereo catalog: 6E-112
- UK first-press: EMI (UK) EMA 784
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Queen 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 came in a gatefold with custom labels and a die-cut printed inner sleeve with lyrics and credits
- Specialty pressings print SP under "stereo" on the labels and have the SRC logo stamped in the runouts; many side A runouts also have NICK W etched
- Other US 1977 pressings came from PRC (Richmond and Compton), and Columbia Record Club editions were pressed at Santa Maria; check the runouts and labels for club markings
- Runouts start 6E-112 A / 6E-112 B; the original inner sleeve is often missing or split
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 |
|---|---|
| 1977 first-press (NM) | $20–$45 |
| 1977 first-press (VG+) | $10–$18 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $20–$35 |
What pushes to the top: Specialty (SP) pressing with an unsplit original inner sleeve and a clean gatefold.
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 Elektra (custom album labels) design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches 6E-112. 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.
1975 · Elektra butterfly label
Queen — A Night at the Opera
1975 first press: $15–$30 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1974 · Elektra butterfly label (15 Columbus Circle address)
Queen — Queen II
1974 first press: $12–$25 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1977 · Columbia, with Family Productions logo
Billy Joel — The Stranger
1977 first press: $10–$20 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Elektra (custom album labels)), the catalog number (6E-112), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. US copies came in a gatefold with custom labels and a die-cut printed inner sleeve with lyrics and credits.
Specialty (SP) pressing with an unsplit original inner sleeve and a clean gatefold brings the top of the NM range, typically $20–$45.
Often not by much. News of the World reissues trade at $20–$35 per NM copy, against $20–$45 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.
News of the World was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The 6E-112 pressing is the reference.
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