Backtrackin' (22 Tracks Spanning The Career Of A Rock Legend) vinyl value
Eric Clapton — Backtrackin' (22 Tracks Spanning The Career Of A Rock Legend): pressings we track
| Pressing | Catalog | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 RSO | 821 937-1 | France | Compilation, Gatefold |
| 1984 RSO | 821 937-1 Y | Germany | Compilation, Gatefold |
| 1984 Polydor | 821 937-1 y | Netherlands | Compilation, Gatefold |
| 1988 RSO | 821 937-1 | Spain | Compilation, Reissue |
| 1991 Polydor | 821 937-1 A1 | Spain | Compilation, Reissue |
| Undated Polydor | 821 937-1 | Europe | Compilation, Reissue |
8 pressings tracked, 6 shown · 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 1984 Germany pressing it reads “821 938 - 1 S 1 = 2 | 115 | 320 | V3 | 1” on side one and “821 938 - 1 S 2 | 114 | 320 | V3 | 1A” on side two. Sleeves migrate between copies over the years; the etching stays with the record.
- 3
Grade the condition. Condition multiplies the price: near mint can bring several times what a VG copy does. Vinyl and sleeve get separate grades; the scale is in our grading guide.
Discs and jackets part ways over the decades: a 1984 sleeve proves nothing about the record inside it. The runout etching and the label decide the pressing; the cover never does.
Questions
Which pressing of Backtrackin' (22 Tracks Spanning The Career Of A Rock Legend) is worth the most?
The 1984 originals lead. 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 if I have a 1984 original?
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 1984 Germany pressing the runout reads “821 938 - 1 S 1 = 2 | 115 | 320 | V3 | 1”. A period jacket with a later disc inside is still a reissue.
How much is Backtrackin' (22 Tracks Spanning The Career Of A Rock Legend) worth today?
Market prices move, so a static number goes stale fast. Scan the record in the RecordScout app: it identifies your exact pressing from the label and shows a current value range for its 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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