Album value
The Doors — The Doors.
First-press value.
Released January 1967 on Elektra, the band's self-titled debut moved the rock canon toward darker territory. Original first-press copies were issued on the Elektra gold label and trade well above any of the dozens of reissues that followed.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1967. The US first-press shipped on the Elektra gold label label.
- US stereo catalog: EKS-74007
- US mono catalog: EKL-4007
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- Original 1967 sleeve has 'Produced by Paul A. Rothchild' credit in a specific position on the back cover
- Gold-label Elektra is the 1967 first-press indicator; red-label Elektra is later 1968 onward
- Mono pressings on EKL-4007 are scarcer and trade higher than stereo
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 |
|---|---|
| 1967 first-press (NM) | $100–350 |
| 1967 first-press (VG+) | $50–120 |
| Sealed authenticated original | $600–1,500 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $15–30 |
What pushes to the top: Mono gold-label pressing with intact 1967 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 Elektra gold label design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches EKS-74007 (or EKL-4007 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 (Elektra gold label), the catalog number (EKS-74007 for stereo, EKL-4007 for mono), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. Original 1967 sleeve has 'Produced by Paul A. Rothchild' credit in a specific position on the back cover.
Mono gold-label pressing with intact 1967 sleeve brings the top of the NM range, typically $100–350. Authenticated sealed first-press copies reach $600–1,500 when verified by Heritage Auctions or a specialist dealer.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. The Doors 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.
It depends on the album. For The Doors, Mono pressings on EKL-4007 are scarcer and trade higher than stereo.
Free to startNo adsPrivate by defaultCloud syncBuilt for iOS