Album value
Creedence Clearwater Revival — Willy and the Poor Boys.
First-press value.
Creedence's third album of 1969, issued late that year as Fantasy 8397 with "Down on the Corner" and "Fortunate Son" on one single. It is certified 2× Platinum in the US, and RCA pressed it at three plants, so 1969 copies are common: most sell for $10–30 on Discogs. The copies that bring real money are Analogue Productions audiophile reissues from 2002 and 2014, not the original.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1969. The US first-press shipped on the Fantasy blue label, gold print.
- US stereo catalog: 8397
- UK first-press: Liberty (UK) LBS 83338
- RIAA certification: 2× Platinum (US)
The center label is only the first clue. See the full Fantasy Records (Creedence) identification guide.
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the Creedence Clearwater Revival vinyl value profile.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1969 labels are blue with gold print and read "Full Radial Stereo"; 1973 reissues moved to a brown Fantasy label, usually with F-8397 on the label
- Runouts read F-2762 and F-2763 followed by a plant letter: H for RCA Hollywood, I for Indianapolis, R for Rockaway
- Most 1969 copies spell it "Poorboys" as one word on the back cover and labels, while the front and spine say "Poor Boys"; a few label variants print it correctly
- The 1983 Original Rock Classics reissue carries ORC-4515 on the labels and a barcode on the back cover
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 |
|---|---|
| 1969 first-press (NM) | $20–$45 |
| 1969 first-press (VG+) | $10–$20 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $13–$35 |
What pushes to the top: Hollywood (H) pressing on the deep-groove blue label with a clean, unsplit back cover.
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 Fantasy blue label, gold print design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches 8397. 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.
1970 · Fantasy blue label
Creedence Clearwater Revival — Pendulum
1970 first press: $7–$14 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1976 · Fantasy brown label
Creedence Clearwater Revival — Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits
1976 first press: $10–$20 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1969 · Decca gold-and-black
The Who — Tommy
1969 first press: $40–$100 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Fantasy blue label, gold print), the catalog number (8397), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1969 labels are blue with gold print and read "Full Radial Stereo"; 1973 reissues moved to a brown Fantasy label, usually with F-8397 on the label.
Hollywood (H) pressing on the deep-groove blue label with a clean, unsplit back cover brings the top of the NM range, typically $20–$45.
Often not by much. Willy and the Poor Boys reissues trade at $13–$35 per NM copy, against $20–$45 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.
Willy and the Poor Boys was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The 8397 pressing is the reference.
Free to startNo adsPrivate by defaultCloud syncBuilt for iOS