Album value
Aerosmith — Toys in the Attic.
First-press value.
Aerosmith's third album, released April 8, 1975 on Columbia, with "Sweet Emotion" and "Walk This Way." It sold in the millions, so an original is common: most US first pressings sell for around $10 on Discogs. What separates the earliest copies is one line of small print on the back of the jacket.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1975. The US first-press shipped on the Columbia label.
- US stereo catalog: PC 33479
- RIAA certification: 9× Platinum (US)
The center label is only the first clue. See the full Columbia red label (1970s) identification guide.
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Aerosmith vinyl value profile.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- First-state jackets read "For further information write to: AEROSMITH FAN CLUB" at the bottom of the back cover; later jackets say "Aerosmith Newsletter" instead
- Labels read PC 33479 with AL 33479 / BL 33479 matrix numbers; runouts are PAL 33479 / PBL 33479 plus a plant mark (P for Pitman, T1 or T2 for Terre Haute, S for Santa Maria)
- Most early runouts carry a TML-S or TML-M stamp from The Mastering Lab; some Pitman copies show AZ (Allen Zentz) instead
- A barcode on the back cover, or C 33479 printed on the labels, marks a later reissue
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 |
|---|---|
| 1975 first-press (NM) | $20–$45 |
| 1975 first-press (VG+) | $8–$15 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $5–$12 |
What pushes to the top: First-state "Aerosmith Fan Club" jacket with no barcode and a clean 1975 pressing.
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 Columbia design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches PC 33479. 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.
1976 · Columbia
Aerosmith — Rocks
1976 first press: $6–$12 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1974 · Columbia
Aerosmith — Get Your Wings
1974 first press: $7–$14 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1975 · Columbia orange-and-yellow
Bruce Springsteen — Born to Run
1975 first press: $20–$50 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Columbia), the catalog number (PC 33479), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. First-state jackets read "For further information write to: AEROSMITH FAN CLUB" at the bottom of the back cover; later jackets say "Aerosmith Newsletter" instead.
First-state "Aerosmith Fan Club" jacket with no barcode and a clean 1975 pressing brings the top of the NM range, typically $20–$45.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. Toys in the Attic reissues from later decades trade at $5–$12 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
Toys in the Attic was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The PC 33479 pressing is the reference.
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