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
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Stevie Wonder vinyl value profile.
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.
Keep checking the shelf
More first pressings worth knowing.
Nearby years, matching labels, and more records by the same artist.
1973 · Tamla Detroit-map
Stevie Wonder — Innervisions
1973 first press: $15–$50 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1976 · Asylum maroon
Eagles — Hotel California
1976 first press: $15–$40 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1976 · Epic orange
Boston — Boston
1976 first press: $8–$16 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA 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.
Free to startNo adsPrivate by defaultCloud syncBuilt for iOS