Album value
Black Sabbath — Paranoid.
First-press value.
Black Sabbath's second album, released September 1970. The UK Vertigo first-press on the famous black-and-silver swirl label is the audiophile reference and one of the most collected 70s rock LPs. US Warner Bros. first-pressings trade lower but are still well-collected.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1970. The US first-press shipped on the Warner Bros. green-and-yellow label.
- US stereo catalog: WS 1887
- UK first-press: Vertigo swirl (UK) 6360 011
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1970 UK Vertigo swirl label (the spinning black-and-silver disc design) is the first-press signal — Vertigo replaced the swirl in 1973
- 1970 US Warner Bros. green-and-yellow label is the US first-press; by 1972 Warner had shifted to the burbank palm-tree design
- Original UK sleeve has the swordsman photograph on heavier card stock with deeper-saturation color than reissues
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 |
|---|---|
| 1970 first-press (NM) | $80–$300 |
| 1970 first-press (VG+) | $40–$120 |
| Sealed authenticated original | $600–$2,000 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $20–$40 |
What pushes to the top: UK Vertigo swirl first-press with intact 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 Warner Bros. green-and-yellow design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches WS 1887. 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.
1970 · Cotillion red-and-orange
The Velvet Underground — Loaded
1970 first press: $40–$80 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1970 · Reprise two-tone
Neil Young — After the Gold Rush
1970 first press: $25–$60 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1970 · Columbia 360 Sound
Miles Davis — Bitches Brew
1970 first press: $30–$80 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Warner Bros. green-and-yellow), the catalog number (WS 1887), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1970 UK Vertigo swirl label (the spinning black-and-silver disc design) is the first-press signal — Vertigo replaced the swirl in 1973.
UK Vertigo swirl first-press with intact sleeve brings the top of the NM range, typically $80–$300. Authenticated sealed first-press copies reach $600–$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. Paranoid 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.
Paranoid was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The WS 1887 pressing is the reference.
Free to startNo adsPrivate by defaultCloud syncBuilt for iOS