Vinyl pressings
by John Denver · 1975
Rocky Mountain Christmas was first pressed on vinyl in 1975. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
11 pressings came out in 1975, the album's first year, in 8 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.
APL1-1201-ASide A label
APL1-1201-BSide B label
APL1-1201 A10S HSide A Runout, Hand Etched (10S in superscript, H Stamped and opposite label)
APL1-1201-B 11S HSide A Runout, Hand Etched (11S in superscript, H Stamped and opposite label)
APL1 1201A 3S A2 IRunout side A, var. 1
APL1 1201B 20S A1 IRunout side B, var. 1
APL1 1201A 3S I A4Runout side A, var. 2
APL1 1201 ̷B̷ B 4S I A2Runout side B, var. 2
APL1 1201 X2A 20S I AV0A side runout
APL1 1201B 20S I B5WB side runout
APL1-1201-AA side label
APL1-1201-BB side label
APL1 1201 (B crossed out) A 20S 1 A4Runout Side A, variant 1
APL1 1201 (A crossed out) B 4S 1 A13Runout Side B, variant 1
APL1 1201 A 3S A CRunout Side A, variant 2
APL1 1201 B 20S A2Runout Side B, variant 2
〄Ⓑ RVP 6005AⓊ 111⊹ N KRunout Side 1
RVP 6005BⓈ 111⊹Runout Side 2
APLI 1201A A1D 15Side A runout stamped
APLI 1201B A1D 17Side B runout stamped
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Australia | RCA Victor APL1-1201-GFirst yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1975 | Canada | RCA Victor APL1-1201 / RCA APL1-1201First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1975 | Netherlands | RCA APL 11201First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1975 | New Zealand | RCA APL1-1201First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1975 | Philippines | RCA Victor AFL1-1201 / RCA Victor APL1-1201First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1975 | UK | RCA Victor APL1-1201First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1975 | US | RCA APL1-1201 / RCA Victor APL1-1201LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| 1975 | US | RCA Victor AFL1-1201 / RCA Victor APL1-1201LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1975 | US | RCA APL1-1201 / RCA Victor APL1-1201First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1975 | US | RCA APL1-1201 / RCA Victor APL1-1201First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1975 | US | RCA Victor AFL1-1201 / RCA Victor AFL1-1201LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1975 | US | RCA APL1-1201 / RCA Victor APL1-1201First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1975 | Japan | RCA RVP-6005First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1975 | Japan | RCA RVP-6005First yearLP, Album, Promo · Promo | LP, Album, Promo · Promo |
| 1976 | US | RCA APL1-1201 / RCA Victor APL1-1201LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Canada | RCA APL1-1201LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1980 | US | RCA Victor AFL1-1201LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1987 | South Korea | RCA JRPL-3224 / Jigu Records JRPL-3224LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1987 | South Korea | RCA SRPR-122LP, Album | LP, Album |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | US | RCA 88875093891 / Friday Music FRM-1201LP, Album, Reissue · Colored vinyl | LP, Album, Reissue · Colored vinyl |
| 2015 | US | Friday Music FRM-1201 / RCA 88875093891LP, Album, Reissue · Colored vinyl | LP, Album, Reissue · Colored vinyl |
| 2018 | US | Friday Music FRM-1201LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Canada | RCA APL1-1201 / RCA Victor APL1-1201LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| ? | Canada | RCA Victor APL1-1201LP, Album | LP, Album |
| ? | Germany | RCA 26.21586 / RCA Victor APL1-1201LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| ? | Germany | RCA 38 913-0LP, Album, Club Edition, Reissue · Club edition | LP, Album, Club Edition, Reissue · Club edition |
| ? | Germany | RCA 26.21586 / RCA Victor APL1-1201LP, Album | LP, Album |
| ? | Germany | RCA 26.21586 / RCA Victor APL1-1201LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | Taiwan | Liming Record LM-7003LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial | LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial |
| ? | UK & Europe | RCA PL81201 / RCA PL 81201LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
33 vinyl pressings of Rocky Mountain Christmas are listed here, from 12 countries, released between 1975 and 2018.
The earliest pressings are from 1975, in US, UK, Japan, Australia and more. One of them is RCA APL1-1201.
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use APL1-1201, RVP-6005, APL1-1201-G, APL 11201) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, APL1-1201-A and APL1-1201-B. 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.
