Album value
Sonny Rollins — Saxophone Colossus.
First-press value.
Sonny Rollins's 1956 LP on Prestige, one of the canonical post-bop tenor-saxophone records. The original 1956 Prestige first-press with the yellow label and 446 W. 50th St. address is the collector reference. Mono only — stereo was not pressed for the 1956 first-press.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1956. The US first-press shipped on the Prestige yellow (446 W. 50th) label.
- US stereo catalog:
- US mono catalog: PRLP 7079
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1956 Prestige yellow label with '446 West 50th, N.Y.C.' address printed at the label bottom is the first-press signal
- RVG matrix runout etched in the dead wax indicates original mastering at Hackensack
- Original sleeve has the Don Schlitten cover design on heavier paper than later Prestige 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 |
|---|---|
| 1956 first-press (NM) | $300–900 |
| 1956 first-press (VG+) | $150–400 |
| Sealed authenticated original | $2000–6,000 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $25–80 |
What pushes to the top: 446 W. 50th Prestige label, RVG matrix, NM 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 Prestige yellow (446 W. 50th) design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches (or PRLP 7079 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 (Prestige yellow (446 W. 50th)), the catalog number ( for stereo, PRLP 7079 for mono), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1956 Prestige yellow label with '446 West 50th, N.Y.C.' address printed at the label bottom is the first-press signal.
446 W. 50th Prestige label, RVG matrix, NM sleeve brings the top of the NM range, typically $300–900. Authenticated sealed first-press copies reach $2000–6,000 when verified by Heritage Auctions or a specialist dealer.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Saxophone Colossus reissues from later decades trade at $25–80 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
It depends on the album. For Saxophone Colossus, mono and stereo first-presses trade at similar prices in NM condition, with subtle pressing-quality differences favoring one or the other depending on the cut.
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