Start with the dead wax (the runout)
The dead wax is the smooth band of vinyl between the last groove and the label. Tilt the record under a bright light and read the etched codes there. Originals from plants like EMI Hayes, Decca New Malden or Sterling Sound carry a recognisable mix of stamped catalogue numbers, hand-scratched matrix suffixes and plant initials.
Genuine British pressings often show machine-stamped matrix numbers combined with hand-etched tax codes or engineer marks. Counterfeits tend to reproduce the runout as a flat, photo-etched copy where every character has identical depth and the hand-scratched feel is missing entirely. If the runout looks printed rather than cut into the vinyl, treat it as a red flag.
- Look for a mix of stamped and hand-etched characters, not uniform printing
- Check the matrix suffix matches a documented original (for example a Beatles -1 first stamper)
- Mastering credits such as a Robert Ludwig RL or a Porky/Pecko etching are hard to fake convincingly
Compare the label closely
Labels are where fakes most often slip up. Genuine labels use specific fonts, ink colours, ring sizes and rim text that stayed consistent for each pressing run. A Parlophone black-and-yellow label, an early Atlantic green-and-orange, or a Harvest label all have known typography and layout.
Hold your label next to a verified scan from Discogs or a reference photo. Check the sharpness of small text, the exact shade of colour and whether the catalogue number and rights-society text (such as 'The Gramophone Co. Ltd.') are present and correctly positioned. Counterfeits frequently use slightly wrong fonts, washed-out colours or a catalogue number that does not match the matrix.
Weigh it and feel the vinyl
Period vinyl has a characteristic weight and surface. Many 1960s and 70s originals were pressed on substantial vinyl with a deep, glossy sheen. A surprising number of counterfeits are pressed on thin, lightweight or recycled-looking vinyl that feels flimsy and looks dull or grey-tinged at the edges.
Spin the record under light and look at how the surface reflects. A genuine pressing typically shows a smooth, even gloss, while many fakes have a faint matte haze or visible non-fill near the run-in groove.
Inspect the sleeve and packaging
Counterfeit sleeves are usually scanned from an original and reprinted, which loses detail. Look for soft, slightly fuzzy text, colour shifts and a barcode that appears pixelated or muddy under magnification. Gatefolds may be glued unevenly and the card stock often feels thinner than an original.
Inserts, posters, lyric sheets and printed inner bags are commonly missing or crudely reproduced on fakes because they are expensive to copy accurately. A first pressing with all its correct inserts present and matching the era is reassuring; a 'sealed' copy of a rare title with no inserts visible should make you cautious, as genuine vintage records are rarely still shrink-wrapped.