Album value
James Taylor — Sweet Baby James.
First-press value.
James Taylor's second LP, released February 1970 on Warner Bros. The album that broke him commercially and set the singer-songwriter template for the next decade. The original 1970 Warner Bros. green-label first-press is the collector reference.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1970. The US first-press shipped on the Warner Bros. green label.
- US stereo catalog: WS 1843
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1970 Warner Bros. green label with the 'Records of Quality' perimeter text is the first-press signal
- Original sleeve uses the Henry Diltz photograph on slightly heavier paper than reissues
- Catalog number WS 1843 with no 'Re' suffix is the first-press; by 1973 Warner shifted to the burbank palm-tree label
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 |
|---|---|
| 1970 first-press (NM) | $30–100 |
| 1970 first-press (VG+) | $15–50 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $10–25 |
What pushes to the top: Green-label 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 Warner Bros. green design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches WS 1843. 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 (Warner Bros. green), the catalog number (WS 1843), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1970 Warner Bros. green label with the 'Records of Quality' perimeter text is the first-press signal.
Green-label first-press with NM sleeve brings the top of the NM range, typically $30–100.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Sweet Baby James 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.
Sweet Baby James was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The WS 1843 pressing is the reference.
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