Why the Original Pressing (almost) always buries the Reissue! A Discussion

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There comes a time when you have to part with a record. It could be you have upgraded your copy, or you are trying to create space in your library, and you want to sell the duplicate, or it could be you want to make some money. While selling your records should be very easy, it can sometimes prove to be a challenging task. You may have seen a copy of some record sell for only a few dollars and seemingly an identical copy of the same sell for hundreds or thousands of dollars. Many things can cause this, including varying conditions of both vinyl, but one of the most critical aspects associated with such is the specific pressing being offered. Keep reading below to learn how to tell if a record is an original pressing so you can make a better decision when buying or selling a record.

To be precise, this is a very extensive subject matter. Every record label has a unique way of cataloging their records. Rather than cover all the possible variations, which can be thousands. Here we take a closer look at the fundamental steps you should follow to know if your record is an original pressing.

STEP 1: CHECK THE SLEEVE TO SEE IF THE RECORD IS AN ORIGINAL PRESSING
Many original pressing of a classic record has probably been frequently used. Chances are the sleeve of an original pressing, possibly from the late ’70s will not be in the best condition. This does not mean that near mint original pressings do not exist, but such pressings are very rare to come across. This is particularly true for many party records. In most cases, reissue or newer pressings will have a crisp, clean sleeve with vibrant artwork.

A closer look at the spine of the record sleeve will also help determine whether you have an original pressing. Original pressings usually have a four-letter and number combination like WXYZ-1234. Other records after the second or third pressing have two letters and five number combinations, such as XY-12345.

STEP 2: DOES THE SLEEVE HAVE A BAR CODE OR HYPE STICKERS?
There is no classic record released before the ’80s that will have a barcode on the sleeve. Also, the older original pressings are rarely on the 180-gram vinyl. Any sign of bonus content or something like “Includes the Hit….” It could show later pressings. Also, unless you are considering a recent release, the early original pressings do not include any download code card. Current records, however, can have some of these things.


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