Album value
Wayne Shorter — Speak No Evil.
First-press value.
Wayne Shorter's 1966 Blue Note LP, recorded December 1964 and released January 1966 on Blue Note. One of the canonical sessions from Shorter's Blue Note period. The original 1966 Blue Note first-press on the 43 W. 61st label is the collector reference.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1966. The US first-press shipped on the Blue Note 43 W. 61st label.
- US stereo catalog: BST 84194
- US mono catalog: BLP 4194
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1966 Blue Note label with '43 W. 61st NYC' address printed at the label bottom is the first-press signal
- RVG (Rudy Van Gelder) matrix runout etched in the dead wax indicates original mastering
- Original gatefold sleeve uses the Reid Miles design on heavier paper than later 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 |
|---|---|
| 1966 first-press (NM) | $200–600 |
| 1966 first-press (VG+) | $100–250 |
| Sealed authenticated original | $1500–4,000 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $25–60 |
What pushes to the top: Mono RVG-cut first-press with 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 Blue Note 43 W. 61st design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches BST 84194 (or BLP 4194 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 (Blue Note 43 W. 61st), the catalog number (BST 84194 for stereo, BLP 4194 for mono), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1966 Blue Note label with '43 W. 61st NYC' address printed at the label bottom is the first-press signal.
Mono RVG-cut first-press with NM sleeve brings the top of the NM range, typically $200–600. Authenticated sealed first-press copies reach $1500–4,000 when verified by Heritage Auctions or a specialist dealer.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Speak No Evil reissues from later decades trade at $25–60 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
It depends on the album. For Speak No Evil, 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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