01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1976. The US first-press shipped on the Tamla yellow-rim label.
- US stereo catalog: T13-340C2
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1976 Tamla yellow-rim label is the first-press signal
- Original 'A Something's Extra' bonus 7-inch EP was included in the gatefold pocket — many surviving copies are missing it
- Original lyric/credits booklet should be intact; reissues sometimes use a different cover stock
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 |
|---|---|
| 1976 first-press (NM) | $40–120 |
| 1976 first-press (VG+) | $20–50 |
| Sealed authenticated original | $200–500 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $15–30 |
What pushes to the top: Complete with bonus EP and lyric booklet, 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 Tamla yellow-rim design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches T13-340C2. 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 (Tamla yellow-rim), the catalog number (T13-340C2), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1976 Tamla yellow-rim label is the first-press signal.
Complete with bonus EP and lyric booklet, NM sleeve brings the top of the NM range, typically $40–120. Authenticated sealed first-press copies reach $200–500 when verified by Heritage Auctions or a specialist dealer.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Songs in the Key of Life reissues from later decades trade at $15–30 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
Songs in the Key of Life was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The T13-340C2 pressing is the reference.
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