What is an original pressing?
An original (or first) pressing is made during the initial release run, often cut from the first-generation master and pressed at the original plant. These are the most prized by collectors because they represent the record as it first appeared, with the correct early matrix suffixes, period-correct labels and original inserts.
Originals usually carry the lowest matrix suffix numbers (such as a -1 first stamper), the earliest label design, and the manufacturing fingerprints of the period, hand-etched runout marks, engineer signatures and the right pressing-plant codes. They command the highest prices precisely because of this authenticity and scarcity.
What is a reissue?
A reissue is a legitimate later re-release of an album, authorised by the rights holder. It might come years or decades after the original, sometimes remastered, sometimes on heavier vinyl, sometimes with new artwork or bonus material. Crucially, it is official and legal.
Reissues are identified by later label designs, different or higher matrix numbers, updated catalogue numbers, and often modern features like barcodes or remaster credits in the dead wax. They are perfectly collectable in their own right and are the normal, honest way to own a great album you cannot afford or find as an original. They are generally worth less than a first pressing but more than nothing, and there is nothing wrong with them.
- Officially authorised by the rights holder
- Later label design, higher or different matrix numbers
- May be remastered, on heavier vinyl, or feature a barcode
- Legitimate and collectable, usually below original-pressing value
What is a counterfeit?
A counterfeit is an illegal, unauthorised copy made to deceive buyers into believing it is a genuine original. Unlike a reissue, it is not sanctioned by anyone and exists purely to defraud. It is the only one of the three that is illegal to manufacture and sell.
Counterfeits typically copy the artwork from an original but fail on the details forgers cannot reproduce: flat, photo-etched runouts with no hand-scratched character, slightly wrong label fonts and colours, thin or dull vinyl, and soft, pixelated sleeve printing. A counterfeit has effectively no collector value once identified, regardless of the price someone paid for it.
How to tell them apart
Start with the matrix. An original shows the earliest documented matrix with authentic hand-etched marks; a reissue shows later or higher matrix numbers; a counterfeit shows a flat, copied runout or numbers that do not match any documented pressing. Cross-reference everything against the relevant Discogs release page.
Then compare the label and sleeve. Period-correct fonts, colours and inserts point to an original; modern label designs and barcodes point to a reissue; wrong fonts, washed-out colours and pixelated printing point to a counterfeit. When two or more checks disagree with a documented original, treat the record as suspect.
- Original: earliest matrix, period label, hand-etched runout, full original inserts
- Reissue: later matrix and label, often a barcode or remaster credit, fully legitimate
- Counterfeit: copied flat runout, wrong fonts and colours, poor print, no real value
Why the distinction matters for value
The value spread is dramatic. A genuine first pressing of a classic can be worth hundreds or thousands of pounds, a legitimate reissue of the same album a fraction of that but still a fair price for an honest record, and a counterfeit effectively nothing once exposed.
Getting the category right is therefore central to buying well. The danger is paying an original-pressing price for a reissue, or far worse, for a counterfeit. Verify the matrix, label and sleeve before you pay, use the counterfeit database to learn a title's specific tells, and run an instant scan when you want a fast, confident verdict on which of the three you are actually holding.