Brain Salad Surgery vinyl value
Emerson, Lake & Palmer — Brain Salad Surgery: pressings we track
| Pressing | Catalog | Country | Notes | Asking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 Castle Communications PLC | ORRLP002 | UK | Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue | $12–$23 |
| 2025 BMG | 4099964118551 | Europe | Reissue | $34–$64 |
10 more pressings we track (no quoted eBay range)
| Pressing | Catalog | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 Atlantic | 781 523-1 | Germany | Reissue |
| 2008 Manticore | 826663-11054 | US | Limited Edition, Reissue |
| 2011 Music On Vinyl | MOVLP271 | Europe | Limited Edition, Reissue, 180 gram |
| 2013 Razor & Tie | 7930183415-1 | US | Limited Edition, Reissue, 180 gram |
| 2013 Razor & Tie | 7930183401-1 | US | Picture Disc, Reissue |
| 2014 Sony Music | 88883772862 | UK & Europe | Deluxe Edition |
| 2016 BMG | BMGCATLP6 | UK & Europe | Reissue, Remastered |
| 2016 BMG | BMGCATLP6 | US | Reissue, Remastered, Die cut; frontflaps opens sideway |
| 2023 BMG | BMGCAT790LPX | Worldwide | Limited Edition, Picture Disc, Reissue |
| 2026 Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab | MFSL 1-619 | US | Numbered, Reissue, Remastered |
No quoted range right now (why). Scan your copy in the app for a current read.
12 pressings tracked · catalog of 974,753 releases, August 2026
What separates the pressings
How to identify your copy
Three checks, in the order worth doing them.
- 1
Match the catalog number. It is printed on the spine and the record label. Check it together with the country against the pressings table above: the same number can appear in more than one country.
- 2
Read the runout. The code etched in the dead wax near the label names the exact pressing. On the 1988 Germany pressing it reads “R/S Alsdorf 781523-1-A” on side one and “R/S Alsdorf 781523-1-B” on side two. Jackets get swapped over the decades; the runout does not.
- 3
Grade the condition. The same pressing can be worth several times more in near mint than in VG. Grade the vinyl and the sleeve separately — our grading guide shows the standard scale.
A 1973 jacket with a later disc inside is a reissue in an original sleeve. Judge the pressing by the runout etching and the label, never by the cover.
Questions
Which pressing of Brain Salad Surgery is worth the most?
Original 1973 pressings lead; they predate everything in our table, and that scarcity is the point. Among tracked copies, the 1988 pressings come first. Scarcer variants (the 1997 “Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue” and the 2008 “Limited Edition, Reissue”) can beat an ordinary early copy. After that it is all condition: the gap between near mint and VG is usually larger than the gap between pressings.
How do I tell which pressing I have?
Match the catalog number on the spine and label against the table above, check the country, then read the etched code in the runout groove. On the 1988 Germany pressing the runout reads “R/S Alsdorf 781523-1-A”. A period jacket with a later disc inside is still a reissue.
How much is Brain Salad Surgery worth today?
Sellers typically ask $12 to $64 for the later pressings we have quotes on; for the 1997 ORRLP002 the median ask is $18 over 9 listings (eBay, Sep 21, 2026). The 1988 pressings have no quoted range right now. Sold prices usually close lower. Scan your copy in the app for the range on your exact pressing and condition.
Not sure which pressing you have? Photograph the label and RecordScout names it, then shows a current value range for its condition.
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