Album value
Michael Jackson — Off the Wall.
First-press value.
Michael Jackson's first album with Quincy Jones came out on Epic on August 10, 1979, and is now certified Diamond in the US. Original US copies on FE 35745 are common but hold their value better than Thriller: stock copies have a Discogs median around $36, promos sell for more, and sealed 1979 copies have sold for $200 to $479 on eBay.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1979. The US first-press shipped on the Epic label.
- US stereo catalog: FE 35745
- UK first-press: Epic (UK) EPC 83468
- RIAA certification: Diamond (US)
The center label is only the first clue. See the full Epic orange and blue labels identification guide.
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Michael Jackson vinyl value profile.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- US originals carry FE 35745 on the jacket and labels, with AL 35745 and BL 35745 printed on the labels
- Gatefold jacket. Pitman copies have a stamped P in the runout; Terre Haute copies are listed separately on Discogs
- Promo copies have 'Demonstration Not For Sale' labels with publishing details that stock labels lack, and sell for roughly $55 against about $36 for stock copies
- Early UK copies of EPC 83468 are on orange Epic labels and show the label code on both the sleeve and the labels
- A US misprint with a blank side-two label exists. Its one recorded Discogs sale was $2.99, so a misprint is not automatically worth more
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) | $35–$90 |
| 1979 first-press (VG+) | $15–$35 |
| Sealed authenticated original | $200–$450 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $20–$35 |
What pushes to the top: Sealed 1979 copy with the hype sticker on the shrink, or a near mint promo.
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 Epic design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches FE 35745. 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.
1982 · Epic
Michael Jackson — Thriller
1982 first press: $10–$25 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1987 · Epic
Michael Jackson — Bad
1987 first press: $20–$45 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 (Epic), the catalog number (FE 35745), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. US originals carry FE 35745 on the jacket and labels, with AL 35745 and BL 35745 printed on the labels.
Sealed 1979 copy with the hype sticker on the shrink, or a near mint promo brings the top of the NM range, typically $35–$90. Authenticated sealed first-press copies reach $200–$450 when verified by Heritage Auctions or a specialist dealer.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Off the Wall reissues from later decades trade at $20–$35 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
Off the Wall was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The FE 35745 pressing is the reference.
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