Album value
Otis Redding — Otis Blue.
First-press value.
Otis Redding's third LP, released September 1965 on Volt. The original 1965 Volt first-press on the fingerprint label is the collector reference — Volt was a singles-driven label, so Otis Redding LPs are scarcer than the singles.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1965. The US first-press shipped on the Volt fingerprint label.
- US stereo catalog: S-411
- US mono catalog: 411
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1965 Volt fingerprint label is the first-press signal — by 1968 the label shifted to the glove-snapping design
- Mono pressings (Volt 411) are slightly more common than stereo S-411 but both trade firmly
- Original 1965 Volt LPs were distributed by Atlantic — Atlantic-distribution credit on the back cover is a first-press tell
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 |
|---|---|
| 1965 first-press (NM) | $80–200 |
| 1965 first-press (VG+) | $40–100 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $20–40 |
What pushes to the top: Stereo Volt fingerprint with intact Atlantic-distributed sleeve.
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 Volt fingerprint design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches S-411 (or 411 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 (Volt fingerprint), the catalog number (S-411 for stereo, 411 for mono), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1965 Volt fingerprint label is the first-press signal — by 1968 the label shifted to the glove-snapping design.
Stereo Volt fingerprint with intact Atlantic-distributed sleeve brings the top of the NM range, typically $80–200.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Otis Blue 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 Otis Blue, Mono pressings (Volt 411) are slightly more common than stereo S-411 but both trade firmly.
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