Vinyl pressings
by Bay City Rollers · 1977
It's A Game was first pressed on vinyl in 1977. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
23 pressings came out in 1977, the album's first year, in 16 countries. Compare the label and catalog number on your copy, then the codes etched or stamped in the runout groove (the dead wax around the label): they are the surest sign of an early pressing.
SPARTY1009 A//1 10 1 1 4Runout, side A, Variant 1
SPARTY1009 B//2 10 1 2 3Runout, side B, Variant 1
SPARTY1009 A//1 10 14 5Runout, side A, Variant 2
SPARTY1009 B//1 10 11 2 1 6Runout, side B, Variant 2
AL 7004 A M-2 AL-7004-SA 33 AL-7̶0̶0̶4̶-̶S̶A̶ MD JANE AzRunout side A, etched, variant 1
A̶L̶-̶6̶0̶0̶7̶-̶S̶B̶ 33 AL-7004-SB MD 2 Az 〰 〰 JANERunout side B, etched, variant 1
AL 7004 SA I ̶A̶L̶6̶0̶0̶7̶ ̶S̶A̶ ̶G̶C̶ AL-7̶0̶0̶4̶-̶S̶A̶ MD JANE Az 33Runout side A, etched, variant 2
A̶L̶-̶6̶0̶0̶7̶-̶S̶B̶ 33 AL-7004-SB MD 2 Az 〰 〰 JANERunout side B, etched, variant 2
T 2 AL 7004-SA CTH JANE AZ❀ CTH AA runout
1S AL 7004-SB CSM AZ⁀⁀ ⁀⁀ JANE SXT FB runout
AL 7004 SAA label
AL 7004 SBB label
AL-7004-SA-CSM-1 Az ❀ JANE S1A Side Etch - Variant 1
AL-7004-SB-CSM Az ︵︵〰 JANE S1B Side Etch - Variant 1
AL-7004-SB-CSM-2 Az 〰 〰 JANE S1B Side Etch - Variant 2
AL-7004-SA CSM-2 Az ❀ JANE A3 1SA Side runout - Variant 3
AL 7004 A M-2 AL-7004-SA 33 AL-7̶0̶0̶4̶-̶S̶A̶ MD JANE AzEtched, runout side A variant 1
A̶L̶-̶6̶0̶0̶7̶-̶S̶B̶ 33 AL-7004-SB MD 2 Az 〰 〰 JANEEtched, runout side B variant 1
AL-7004-SA W JANE AzEtched, runout side A variant 2
AL-7004-SB W JANE AzEtched, runout side B variant 2
T1 AL 7004-SA CTH JANE ① AZ ❀ CTH ɅA runout
T1 AL 7004-SB CTH ② AZ⁀⁀ ⁀⁀ JANE CTHB runout
AL 7004 SAA label
AL 7004 SBB label
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Argentina | Arista 6835First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1977 | Australia | Arista AL-7004First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1977 | Brazil | Arista ARL 33039 / Arista ARL-33039First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1977 | Canada | Arista AL 7004 / Arista ARISTA 7004First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1977 | Canada | Arista AL 7004 / Arista ARISTA 7004First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1977 | Canada | Arista AL 7004First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1977 | France | Arista 2C 068-99270 / Arista 2C 068-99.270First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1977 | Germany | Arista 1C 064-99 131 / EMI Electrola 1C 064-99 131First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1977 | Israel | Arista SPARTY 1009 / Arista SPAR 1009First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1977 | Japan | Arista IES-80850First yearLP, Album, Promo · Promo | LP, Album, Promo · Promo |
| 1977 | Netherlands | Arista AL 7004First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1977 | New Zealand | Arista AL-7004First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1977 | South Africa | Arista ASTJ (D) 33First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1977 | Spain | Arista 7c 062-99131First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1977 | Sweden | Arista 7c 062-99131First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Austria | Arista 66 955LP, Album, Club Edition · Club edition | LP, Album, Club Edition · Club edition |
27 vinyl pressings of It's A Game are listed here, from 17 countries.
The earliest pressings are from 1977, in UK, US, Japan, Argentina and more. One of them is Arista SPARTY 1009.
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use SPARTY 1009, AL 7004, IES-80850, 6835) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, SPARTY1009 A//1 10 1 1 4 and SPARTY1009 B//2 10 1 2 3. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
It depends on which pressing you have and on the condition of the record and its sleeve. Early pressings from the album's home country in near mint condition are usually worth the most; common later reissues are worth far less. Scan your copy with VinylLens to see its value for every grade.
