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
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.
A 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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