Recordz
How do you identify an original pressing of a record?
Compare your copy with documented first issues on four things: the label design and company address, the catalog number, the matrix and runout markings in the dead wax, and sleeve details such as the printer credit and barcode. Discogs lists these details for each version of a release, so the usual method is to match your copy to exactly one entry.
Start with the label
Labels changed over time: logos were redesigned, company addresses moved, distributors changed. A label that matches the original release year is the first sign of an original, and a later design is the quickest way to rule one out.
Blue Note is the best-documented example. The LondonJazzCollector guide explains that the label address (Lexington Avenue, then 47 West 63rd Street, then simply New York) reflects when the label was printed. With one documented exception, original Blue Notes made before the 1966 sale to Liberty were pressed by Plastylite and carry its small inverted "P", nicknamed the "ear", in the dead wax on both sides. Every Blue Note pressed at Plastylite before mid-1961 has a deep groove ring in the label area on both sides, so its absence on an early title points to a later copy. Its presence isn't proof, because old and new pressing dies were used side by side until about 1965.
The same guide notes that Blue Note's old mothers and stampers were brought back into use for pressings long afterwards, so no single clue settles it. That's why collectors check several together.
Read the dead wax
The smooth ring between the last groove and the label carries the matrix number and other markings, stamped or hand-etched. These can identify the lacquer cut, the mastering engineer or studio (Rudy Van Gelder's "RVG" on many Blue Notes, for instance) and the pressing plant. Wikipedia notes that researchers have documented factory codes for major US labels including Capitol, Warner Bros., RCA and Mercury.
Don't treat a "-1" cut number as proof. Big releases were often cut several times for different plants at once, a first cut could be rejected, and a reissue that's recut may start again at 1.
Check the catalog number and sleeve
| Clue | Points to an original | Points to a later issue |
|---|---|---|
| Barcode | None on pre-1979 releases | Present |
| Label design and address | Matches the release year | Later design or address |
| Catalog number | Original series | New number or prefix |
| Packaging text | Nothing added | "Reissue", "Remastered", "180g" |
| Runout | Matches documented originals | Matches a listed later version |
The barcode test comes from Discogs' own guidelines, which say a release with a barcode generally can't have been made before 1979. Inserts, inner sleeves, the printer credit on the back of the jacket and the price or distributor details on the cover can all help narrow down when a copy was made.
Match it on Discogs
Search Discogs for the catalog number or a runout string, or open the album's master release, which groups every version together. Its list of versions can be filtered by format, label, country and year. Transcribe each side's dead wax exactly, including spaces and dashes, then work down the list until one version matches every detail.
Discogs only accepts a separate version when there is a way to tell it apart, so if two entries look identical, read their release notes and photos. The database is community-edited and some entries are incomplete; when entries conflict, the Discogs forums and label-specific guides are the next step.
You can also search artists and labels on Recordz, where each record links to its Discogs release.
Original pressing FAQ
Does a -1 in the runout mean it's a first pressing?
No. It usually marks the first lacquer cut of that side, but several cuts can go into the first production run, and a reissue that is recut may restart at -1.
Does a barcode mean my record is a reissue?
For an album first released before 1979, it generally means your copy was made later. Discogs' guidelines say a release with a barcode generally can't predate 1979.
Can a first pressing come from more than one plant?
Yes. Major labels often pressed popular records at several factories at once, and each plant's copies can carry different runout codes.
What if my copy doesn't match any Discogs entry?
It may be an undocumented variant. Check the release notes and photos of the closest entries, and if your copy really differs, Discogs accepts new submissions from people who own the item.
Is a sealed copy an original?
Not necessarily. Goldmine warns that sealed records may have been resealed, may not be the original pressing, and occasionally contain the wrong record.
Last updated September 30, 2026.
Sources: Discogs, Release Page Guide; Discogs, Database Guidelines 5: Barcodes & Identifiers; Discogs, Database Guidelines 1: General Rules; LondonJazzCollector, the Blue Note labels; LondonJazzCollector, the deep groove; Wikipedia, Matrix number; Goldmine, Record Grading 101.
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