Album value
Carole King — Tapestry.
First-press value.
Carole King's second solo LP, released February 1971 on Ode Records. The album sold more than 25 million copies worldwide and is RIAA-certified 13× Platinum in the US. The 1971 first-press on the Ode brown-and-gold label is the first-press reference; clean originals are uncommon because the album was played hard.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1971. The US first-press shipped on the Ode brown-and-gold label.
- US stereo catalog: SP-77009
- RIAA certification: 13× Platinum (US)
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1971 Ode brown-and-gold label is the first-press signal — by 1973 the label shifted to a lighter design
- Original sleeve has the Jim McCrary kitchen-window photograph on slightly heavier paper stock than reissues
- Catalog number SP-77009 with no reissue suffix is the first-press
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 |
|---|---|
| 1971 first-press (NM) | $30–$100 |
| 1971 first-press (VG+) | $15–$50 |
| Sealed authenticated original | $200–$500 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $10–$25 |
What pushes to the top: Sealed first-press with original Ode hype sticker.
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 Ode brown-and-gold design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches SP-77009. 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.
1971 · Reprise steamboat
Joni Mitchell — Blue
1971 first press: $25–$60 in VG+ condition.
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1971 · Tamla Detroit-map
Marvin Gaye — What's Going On
1971 first press: $25–$60 in VG+ condition.
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1971 · Atlantic red-and-plum
Led Zeppelin — Untitled (IV)
1971 first press: $50–$150 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Ode brown-and-gold), the catalog number (SP-77009), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1971 Ode brown-and-gold label is the first-press signal — by 1973 the label shifted to a lighter design.
Sealed first-press with original Ode hype sticker brings the top of the NM range, typically $30–$100. 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. Tapestry 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.
Tapestry was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The SP-77009 pressing is the reference.
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