US
1954- Label and catalog number
- MGM Records E3121
- Format
- LP, Album, Mono · MGM Pressing
- Runout / matrix
E3121 S1Side A runout, var. 1
E3121 S2Side B runout, var. 1
E3121 S1 5 ASide A runout, var. 2
E3121 S2 ⇧ 1 DSide B runout, var. 2
Kurt WeillThe Threepenny Opera (Die Dreigroschenoper)
Vinyl pressings
The Threepenny Opera (Die Dreigroschenoper)
by Kurt Weill · 1954
22 pressings5 countriesScoreBalladMusicalStage & Screen
The Threepenny Opera was first pressed on vinyl in 1954. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
How to spot a first pressing of The Threepenny Opera
3 pressings came out in 1954, the album's first year, in 2 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.
Canada
1954- Label and catalog number
- MGM Records E3121
- Format
- LP, Album
- Runout / matrix
CA 54 MG 560 CB E-3121 S1stamped, Side A Variant 1
CA 54-MG-560D E-3121-S2stamped, Side B Variant 1
CA E3121 S1 [MGM arrow icon]stamped, Side A Variant 2
CA E3121 S2 [MGM arrow icon]stamped, Side B Variant 2
Canada
1954- Label and catalog number
- MGM Records E-3121
- Format
- LP, Album
- Runout / matrix
CA E3121 S1stamped, Side A
CA E3121 S2stamped, Side B
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
All 22 vinyl pressings
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
1950s4 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Canada | MGM Records E3121First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1954 | Canada | MGM Records E-3121First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1954 | US | MGM Records E3121First yearLP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1959 | US | MGM Records E-3121LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
1980s1 pressing
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | UK & Europe | TER 1101LP | LP |
Year unknown17 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Australia | MGM Records MGM-V02-9032 / MGM Records MGM V02 9032LP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| ? | Australia | MGM Records M-G-M-02 7513LP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| ? | UK | Metro Records 2356 025LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | US | MGM Records SE-3121 OCLP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | US | MGM Records E-3121 OCLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| ? | US | MGM Records E3121LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | US | MGM Records E3121LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | US | MGM Records SE-3121 OCLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| ? | US | MGM Records E3121LP, Album | LP, Album |
| ? | US | Polydor 820 260-1 Y-1LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | US | MGM Records SE-3121 OC / MGM Records SE 3121 / MGS 187LP, Album | LP, Album |
| ? | US | MGM Records E-3121 OC / MGM Records E 3121LP, Album, Reissue, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Reissue, Mono · Mono |
| ? | US | MGM Records E3121LP, Album, Reissue, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Reissue, Mono · Mono |
| ? | US | MGM Records SE3121LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| ? | US | MGM Records E3121LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
Tracklist
- The Threepenny Opera
Questions
How many vinyl pressings of The Threepenny Opera are there?
22 vinyl pressings of The Threepenny Opera are listed here, from 5 countries, released between 1954 and 1985.
When was The Threepenny Opera first released on vinyl?
The earliest pressings are from 1954, in US, Canada. One of them is MGM Records E3121.
How do I tell if my copy of The Threepenny Opera is a first pressing?
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use E3121, E-3121) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, E3121 S1 and E3121 S2. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
How much is The Threepenny Opera on vinyl worth?
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.
