Pearl vinyl value
Janis Joplin — Pearl: pressings we track
| Pressing | Catalog | Country | Notes | Asking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 Columbia | PC 30322 | US | CX Encoded | from $15 |
| 2012 Columbia | 88697 97825 1 | US | Reissue, 180g | $29–$34 |
| 2016 Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab | MFSL 2-454 | US | Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue | from $70 |
| 2020 Columbia | 88697978251 | Europe | Reissue | $29–$34 |
12 more pressings we track (no quoted eBay range)
| Pressing | Catalog | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 CBS | 32064 | Spain | Reissue |
| 2007 Columbia | 88697159491 | Germany | Reissue, 180g |
| 2009 Music On Vinyl | MOVLP010 | Europe | Reissue, 180g |
| 2012 Music On Vinyl | MOVLP466 | Europe | Reissue, Remastered, 180g |
| 2012 Columbia | 88697 97825 1 | UK & US | Reissue, Remastered, 180g |
| 2012 Columbia | 88697 97825 1 | US | Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered |
| 2015 Music On Vinyl | MOVLP466 | Europe | Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue |
| 2015 Columbia | 88697 97825 1 | US | Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue |
| 2021 Columbia | 19439843521 | Europe | Limited Edition, Picture Disc, Reissue |
| 2021 Columbia | 19439843521 | US | Limited Edition, Picture Disc, Reissue |
| 2021 Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab | UD1S 2-013 | US | Reissue, Remastered, 180g, SuperVinyl |
| 2022 Columbia | COM 234 | Italy | Limited Edition, Numbered, 180 gr, purple vinyl |
No quoted range right now (why). Scan your copy in the app for a current read.
22 pressings tracked, 16 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. 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 1971 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 Pearl is worth the most?
Original 1971 pressings lead; they predate everything in our table, and that scarcity is the point. Among tracked copies, the 1982 pressings come first. Scarcer variants (the 2012 “Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered” and the 2015 “Limited Edition, Numbered, 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. A period jacket with a later disc inside is still a reissue.
How much is Pearl worth today?
Sellers ask from $15 for the later pressings we have quotes on; for the 2012 88697 97825 1 the median ask is $31 over 7 listings (eBay, Sep 15, 2026). The 1982 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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