01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1975. The US first-press shipped on the Columbia orange-and-yellow label.
- US stereo catalog: KC 33482
The dead wax carries a second set of clues. Decode the columbia matrix numbers.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1975 Columbia orange-and-yellow label is the first-press signal — by 1977 Columbia shifted to the all-orange design
- Original sleeve has the Tony Lane portrait photograph on slightly heavier paper than reissues
- Catalog number KC 33482 with no reissue suffix is the first-press
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 |
|---|---|
| 1975 first-press (NM) | $25–$80 |
| 1975 first-press (VG+) | $12–$40 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $10–$25 |
What pushes to the top: NM orange-and-yellow Columbia first-press.
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 Columbia orange-and-yellow design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches KC 33482. 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 · Columbia orange-and-yellow
Bruce Springsteen — Born to Run
1975 first press: $20–$50 in VG+ condition.
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1975 · Columbia tan
Pink Floyd — Wish You Were Here
1975 first press: $25–$80 in VG+ condition.
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1975 · MCA custom picture label
Elton John — Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy
1975 first press: $7–$14 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Columbia orange-and-yellow), the catalog number (KC 33482), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1975 Columbia orange-and-yellow label is the first-press signal — by 1977 Columbia shifted to the all-orange design.
NM orange-and-yellow Columbia first-press brings the top of the NM range, typically $25–$80.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Red Headed Stranger reissues from later decades trade at $10–$25 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
Red Headed Stranger was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The KC 33482 pressing is the reference.
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