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Ben-Hur by Miklós Rózsa, album cover

Vinyl pressings

Ben-Hur

by Miklós Rózsa · 1959

59 pressings17 countriesSoundtrackScoreStage & Screen

Ben-Hur was first pressed on vinyl in 1959. 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 Ben-Hur

22 pressings came out in 1959, the album's first year, in 11 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.

US

1959
Label and catalog number
MGM Records SIEIMGM Records 1E1
Format
Box Set, Deluxe Edition, LP, Stereo
Runout / matrix

S1 E1 S1 59 ST 402-1

S1 E1 S2 59 ST 403-1

Full details of this pressing

US

1959
Label and catalog number
MGM Records 1E1MGM Records IEI
Format
LP, Deluxe Edition, Mono, Box Set · MGM Record Manufacturing Division Pressing
Runout / matrix

59 MG 504 BRunout side A, var. 1, possibly incomplete

59 MG 505Runout side B, var. 1, possibly incomplete

1 E1 S1 59MG 504BRunout side A, var. 2 etched exc. 1 E1 S1 stamped

1 E1 S2 2 59 MG 505Runout side B, var. 2 etched exc. 1 E1 S2 2 stamped

Full details of this pressing

US

1959
Label and catalog number
Lion Records SL70123
Format
LP, Album, Stereo
Runout / matrix

SL70123 S1 59ST 396-1Side A: Stamped + Etched

SL70123 S2 59ST 397-1Side B: Stamped + Etched

Full details of this pressing

US

1959
Label and catalog number
MGM Records S-1E1
Format
LP, Deluxe Edition, Stereo, Box Set · MGM Record Manufacturing Division Pressing
Runout / matrix

59 MG 504 BRunout side A, var. 1

59 MG 505Runout side B, var. 1

1 E1 S1 59MG 504BRunout side A, var. 2 etched exc. 1 E1 S1 stamped

1 E1 S2 2 59 MG 505Runout side B, var. 2 etched exc. 1 E1 S2 2 stamped

Full details of this pressing

US

1959
Label and catalog number
MGM Records S1E1MGM Records 1E1
Format
LP, Album, Deluxe Edition, Stereo · Box Set
Runout / matrix

59 ST 402-1 8 S1 E1 S1 : ISide A runout

59ST- 403-1 [Block "T" stamp] S1 E1 S2Side B runout

Full details of this pressing

UK

1959
Label and catalog number
MGM Records MGM-C-802
Format
LP, Mono
Runout / matrix

59 MG 504-ISSide A runout, stamped

59 MG 505-ISSide B runout, stamped

59-MG-504Side A label matrix, in parentheses

59-MG-505Side B label matrix, in parentheses

Full details of this pressing

Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.

All 59 vinyl pressings

By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.

1950s22 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1959ArgentinaMGM Records MG-185001 / T.K. MG-185001First yearLP, Album, StereoLP, Album, Stereo
1959AustraliaMGM Records MGM-02-7554 / MGM Records M.G.M -02 7554First yearLP, Album, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Mono · Mono
1959CanadaMGM Records 1E1 / MGM Records MGM1E1First yearLP, Album, Deluxe Edition, Box SetLP, Album, Deluxe Edition, Box Set
1959CanadaMGM Records 1E1First yearLP, Deluxe Edition, StereoLP, Deluxe Edition, Stereo
1959CanadaMGM Records 1E1First yearLP, Deluxe Edition, Mono · MonoLP, Deluxe Edition, Mono · Mono
1959CanadaMGM Records S1E1First yearLP, Album, StereoLP, Album, Stereo
1959CanadaMGM Records 1E1First yearLP, Deluxe Edition, StereoLP, Deluxe Edition, Stereo
1959CanadaMGM Records S1E1First yearLP, StereoLP, Stereo
1959CanadaMGM Records S1E1First yearLP, Album, StereoLP, Album, Stereo
1959CanadaMGM Records 1E1 / MGM Records MGM1E1First yearLP, Album, Deluxe Edition, Box SetLP, Album, Deluxe Edition, Box Set
1959EuropeMGM Records 1E1First yearLP, Album, Deluxe Edition, Mono, Box Set · MonoLP, Album, Deluxe Edition, Mono, Box Set · Mono
1959GermanyMGM Records 667501First yearLP, Album, StereoLP, Album, Stereo
1959ItalyMGM Records 1E1First yearLP, Album, Deluxe Edition, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Deluxe Edition, Mono · Mono
1959JapanMGM Records YS-5001First yearLP, Album, Promo, Stereo · PromoLP, Album, Promo, Stereo · Promo
1959New ZealandMGM Records MGM-MC 6056First yearLP, Album, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Mono · Mono
All 22 pressings from the 1950s
1960s8 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1960BrazilMGM Records 16.016LP, AlbumLP, Album
1960USMGM Records S1E1 / MGM Records 1E1LP, Deluxe Edition, StereoLP, Deluxe Edition, Stereo
1960USMGM Records 1E1 / MGM Records S-1E1LP, Album, Repress, Stereo, Box Set, Deluxe EditionLP, Album, Repress, Stereo, Box Set, Deluxe Edition
1960USMGM Records 1E1LP, Album, Reissue, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Reissue, Mono · Mono
1960UKMGM Records MGM-C 802 / MGM Records M-G-M C 802LP, Mono · MonoLP, Mono · Mono
1960UKMGM Records MGM CS 6006 / MGM Records MGM-CS-6006LP, Album, StereoLP, Album, Stereo
1960JapanMGM Records YS-5001 / MGM Records YS 5001LP, Album, StereoLP, Album, Stereo
1968USMGM Records S1E1LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
1970s2 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1972USMGM Records S1E1 / MGM Records 1 SE 1LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
1974JapanMGM Records SMM 2009LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
1980s6 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1981SpainMGM Records 23 54 153LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
1982JapanMGM Records MMF 1009LP, Album, StereoLP, Album, Stereo
1982JapanMGM Records SMM 1036LP, Album, StereoLP, Album, Stereo
1986AustraliaCBS HOL3LP, ReissueLP, Reissue
1989ItalyEMI 54 7933041 / MGM Records 54 7933041LP, Remastered, StereoLP, Remastered, Stereo
1989UKMGM Records LPMGM 8 / EMI LPMGM 8LP, Album, Reissue, RemasteredLP, Album, Reissue, Remastered
2010s2 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
2016EuropeVinyl Passion VP 80086LP, Album, RemasteredLP, Album, Remastered
2017EuropeSoundtrack Factory SF 579415LP, Limited Edition, Reissue · LimitedLP, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited
Year unknown19 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
?BrazilEpic 144918LP, Album, ReissueLP, Album, Reissue
?CanadaMGM Records L-70123LP, Mono · MonoLP, Mono · Mono
?FranceMGM Records F2 mgm 124 SLP, Album, StereoLP, Album, Stereo
?GreeceCBS CBS 70276LP, Limited Edition, Reissue · LimitedLP, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited
?IndiaMGM Records MGM-C-802LP, Mono · MonoLP, Mono · Mono
?ItalyMGM Records 1E1LP, Deluxe EditionLP, Deluxe Edition
?JapanMGM Records MM 2009LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
?NetherlandsCBS CBS 70276LP, ReissueLP, Reissue
?UKMGM Records 2353 030LP, Album, ReissueLP, Album, Reissue
?UKMGM Records MGM-C-802LP, Album, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Mono · Mono
?UKCBS CBS 70276LP, ReissueLP, Reissue
?UKMGM Records 2353030LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
?UKMGM Records 2353 030LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
?USMGM Records S1E1LP, Reissue, StereoLP, Reissue, Stereo
?USLion Records L70123LPLP
All 19 pressings from unknown years

Tracklist

  1. A1Prelude
  2. A2The Adoration Of The Magi
  3. A3Roman March
  4. A4Friendship
  5. A5Love Theme Of Ben-Hur
  6. A6The Burning Desert
  7. A7The Rowing Of The Galley Slaves
  8. B1Naval Battle
  9. B2Return To Judea
  10. B3Victory Parade
  11. B4The Mother's Love
  12. B5The Leper's Search For The Christ
  13. B6The Procession To Calvary
  14. B7The Miracle And Finale

Questions

How many vinyl pressings of Ben-Hur are there?

59 vinyl pressings of Ben-Hur are listed here, from 17 countries, released between 1959 and 2017.

When was Ben-Hur first released on vinyl?

The earliest pressings are from 1959, in US, UK, Argentina, Australia and more. One of them is MGM Records SIEI.

How do I tell if my copy of Ben-Hur is a first pressing?

Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use SIEI, 1E1, SL70123, S-1E1) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, S1 E1 S1 59 ST 402-1 and S1 E1 S2 59 ST 403-1. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.

How much is Ben-Hur 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.

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