Which Clash albums are faked most
The targets are the most collected CBS titles.
- London Calling (CBS CLASH 3, 1979) — the double LP with the Pennie Smith cover and inner sleeves is the prime target.
- The Clash (CBS 82000, 1977) — the UK debut, prized over the altered US version, is heavily faked.
- Combat Rock (CBS FMLN 2, 1982) — first pressings with the correct inner are reproduced.
- Early singles and the Sandinista! triple LP are also occasionally counterfeited.
CBS label details to check
Late-1970s and early-1980s Clash records appeared on CBS, with specific label generations — the orange CBS label and later designs — that must match the catalogue number and year. The UK debut used the CBS label appropriate to 1977; London Calling (CLASH 3) and Combat Rock (FMLN 2) each carry their own catalogue and label generation. Counterfeit labels often use the wrong label design, an incorrect colour, or rim text and credits that don't belong to the pressing.
Genuine CBS labels are sharply printed with accurate colour and correctly positioned logos. Fakes tend to look fuzzy or off-register, use the wrong shade, or carry credits from a later reissue. A mismatch between the label generation and the catalogue number, or modern credits on a supposed first pressing, is a clear warning sign. Always confirm the label matches the documented UK first pressing for that catalogue number.
Original UK pressing details and sleeve tells
The UK debut is distinct from the later US version, which had a different track listing and cover treatment, so genuine UK first pressings are particularly prized. London Calling's iconic Pennie Smith photograph and Ray Lowry typography must be sharply printed on the correct board, with the gatefold and inner sleeves present. Counterfeit sleeves often use thinner, glossier stock, show pixelation under a loupe, and have colour saturation that is slightly off compared with the original.
Check the board weight, the lamination, the print registration and the completeness of inners and inserts across all titles. The original London Calling inners carry lyrics and credits on specific paper; reproductions miss these or print them on the wrong stock. A 'first pressing' with a thin modern-feeling sleeve, missing inners, or pixelated artwork should be treated as suspect.
Matrix codes for genuine pressings
Genuine UK pressings carry matrix numbers in the dead wax derived from the catalogue and pressing plant, often with cutting-engineer etchings. London Calling shows CLASH 3 family matrix codes, the debut shows CBS 82000 family codes, and Combat Rock shows FMLN 2 codes, each with stamper details consistent with the pressing era. Some UK Clash pressings carry recognisable cutting etchings appropriate to the plant.
Counterfeits commonly show matrix numbers that are too uniform, in the wrong font, or that don't correspond to any documented UK pressing. A photographically reproduced run-out looks soft or printed rather than crisply incised. Always cross-reference the full matrix and any etchings against documented examples for the exact UK pressing you believe you have.
Current market value of genuine pressings
A clean UK first-pressing London Calling with the correct inners sells for around £40-£120, with mint copies higher. A UK first-pressing self-titled debut runs around £40-£120, prized over the US version, and a first-pressing Combat Rock around £20-£60. Early singles and certain variants can be considerably more valuable.
Because the UK first pressings carry premiums over later reissues and the altered US versions, any cheap copy advertised as a UK first pressing should be checked against the catalogue, matrix, label and sleeve before you trust it. The packaging and pressing-origin premium is exactly what counterfeiters target.