Album value
Michael Jackson — Thriller.
First-press value.
Released November 29, 1982 on Epic and certified 34× Platinum in the US, Thriller is the most common record in almost any collection. Most copies sell for $10 to $30, and that includes genuine 1982 pressings. The ones that bring more are the first back-cover printing without Michael Jackson's co-producer credit in clean condition, promo copies with the gold stamp, the CBS half-speed audiophile issue, and sealed copies.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1982. The US first-press shipped on the Epic label.
- US stereo catalog: QE 38112
- UK first-press: Epic (UK) EPC 85930
- RIAA certification: 34× Platinum (US)
The center label is only the first clue. See the full Epic orange and blue labels identification guide.
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Michael Jackson vinyl value profile.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- The first US jacket does not credit Michael Jackson as co-producer on the back cover. Later jackets add the credit, and Discogs lists them as second pressing or later
- Gatefold jacket with the tiger cub photo inside; the LP ships in a lyric inner sleeve with drawings by Jackson
- Promo copies carry a gold 'For Promotion Only' stamp on the back cover, and some came with press information
- Pitman copies have a small stamped P in the runout and Carrollton copies have G1 etched. Both plants pressed early and later copies, so the plant alone does not date a record
- The CBS Mastersound half-speed issue (HE 48112) is a separate audiophile pressing and trades around $80 on Discogs, far above stock copies
- The 1983 US picture disc (8E8-38867) was made in quantity and usually sells for $10 to $20
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 |
|---|---|
| 1982 first-press (NM) | $25–$75 |
| 1982 first-press (VG+) | $10–$25 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $15–$30 |
What pushes to the top: First-printing jacket without the co-producer credit, near mint, with the lyric inner sleeve intact.
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 Epic design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches QE 38112. 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.
1979 · Epic
Michael Jackson — Off the Wall
1979 first press: $15–$35 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1987 · Epic
Michael Jackson — Bad
1987 first press: $20–$45 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1980 · Warner Bros. tan (narrow horizontal lines)
Dire Straits — Making Movies
1980 first press: $8–$18 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Epic), the catalog number (QE 38112), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. The first US jacket does not credit Michael Jackson as co-producer on the back cover. Later jackets add the credit, and Discogs lists them as second pressing or later.
First-printing jacket without the co-producer credit, near mint, with the lyric inner sleeve intact brings the top of the NM range, typically $25–$75.
Often not by much. Thriller reissues trade at $15–$30 per NM copy, against $25–$75 for a near-mint first pressing. A worn original can sell for less than a clean reissue, so condition matters as much as which pressing it is.
Thriller was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The QE 38112 pressing is the reference.
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