Vinyl pressings
by Leslie West · 1969
Mountain was first pressed on vinyl in 1969. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
18 pressings came out in 1969, the album's first year, in 5 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.
4500SA MR [Logo] ∆13772 RL SSSide A runout etched, variant 1
4500SB MR [Logo] ∆13772-X T RL SSSide B runout etched, variant 1
4500SA T MR [Logo] ∆13772 RL SSSide A runout etched, variant 2
4500SB T MR [Logo] ∆13772-X RL SSSide B runout etched, variant 2
4500-SA RL SSSide A runout etched
4500 SB RL SSSide B runout etched
4500 SALabel Side A
4500 SBLabel Side B
4500-SA Bestway SS RLRunout Variant 1: Side A
4500-SB SS RLRunout Variant 1: Side B
4500-SA RL SS 8-9-69 BestwayRunout Variant 2: Side A
4500 SB 8-9-69 RL SS BestwayRunout Variant 2: Side B
4500-SA ARP RL SS 7-17-69Runout A etched; ARP stamped
4500 SB 7-17-69 ARP RL SSRunout B etched; ARP stamped
4500 SAMatrix A on label
4500 SBMatrix B on label
4500-SARunout etched A side
4500-SBRunout etched B side
(4500-SA-BW)Label A side
(4500-SB-BW)Label B side
WIN 4500-SA-1 STERLING C 4 T1 dRunout side A, etched, "STERLING C 4"[upside down] and "d"[or upside down P] are stamped
WIN 4500-SB-1 A 3 1T dRunout side B, etched,"A 3" and "d"[or upside down P] are stamped
(4500-SA-BW)Label side A
(4500-SB-BW)Label side B
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Australia | Stateside SOSL-10071First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1969 | Canada | Bell Records WINDFALL 4500 / Windfall Records WINDFALL 4500First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1969 | Canada | Bell Records WINDFALL 4500 / Windfall Records WINDFALL 4500First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1969 | Canada | Bell Records WINDFALL 4500First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1969 | France | Bell Records 2C 062-90515First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1969 | UK | Bell Records SBLL 126 / Bell Records 1E 062 ○ 90515First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1969 | US | Windfall Records WINDFALL 4500 / Windfall Records 4500First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1969 | US | Windfall Records 4500 / Windfall Records WINDFALL 4500First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1969 | US | Windfall Records 4500 / Windfall Records WINDFALL 4500First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1969 | US | Windfall Records 4500 / Windfall Records Windfall 4500First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1969 | US | Windfall Records 4500 / Windfall Records WINDFALL 4500First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1969 | US | Bell Records WINDFALL 4500LP, Test Pressing · Test pressing | LP, Test Pressing · Test pressing |
| 1969 | US | Windfall Records WINDFALL 4500 / Windfall Records 4500First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1969 | US | Windfall Records WINDFALL 4500 / Windfall Records 4500First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1969 | US | Windfall Records WINDFALL 4500First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Italy | Ricordi International SLIR-BL 22043 / Bell Records SLIR-BL 22043LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1970 | Japan | bell records bell58003LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1971 | Spain | Stateside 1J 062-90.515LP, Stereo | LP, Stereo |
| 1971 | Taiwan | 中聲 CSJ-1142LP, Album, Reissue, Unofficial Release · Unofficial | LP, Album, Reissue, Unofficial Release · Unofficial |
| 1972 | Australia | Bell Records 2308 017LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1972 | Italy | Bell Records 2308 017 / Bell Records 2308 017 LLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1972 | Japan | bell records BLPL-10LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1972 | Japan | bell records BLPL-10LP, Album, Promo, Reissue · Promo | LP, Album, Promo, Reissue · Promo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | UK | Bell Records SBLL 126 / Bell Records 1E 062 ◦ 90515LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
28 vinyl pressings of Mountain are listed here, from 9 countries, released between 1969 and 1972.
The earliest pressings are from 1969, in US, UK, Australia, Canada and more. One of them is Windfall Records WINDFALL 4500, released July 1969.
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use WINDFALL 4500, 4500, SBLL 126, SOSL-10071) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, 4500SA MR [Logo] ∆13772 RL SS and 4500SB MR [Logo] ∆13772-X T RL SS. 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.
