American Fool vinyl value
John Cougar Mellencamp — American Fool: pressings we track
| Pressing | Catalog | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 Mercury | 814993-1Q | Germany | Reissue |
| 1989 Mercury | SPL 4004 | South Africa | Reissue, Remastered |
| 2016 Riva | RVL 7501 | US | Reissue, 180g |
| 2016 Mercury | B0024796-01 | US | Reissue, 180g |
| Undated Mercury | 814 993-1 | France | Reissue |
| Undated Mercury | 814 993-1 | Germany | Reissue |
| Undated Mercury | 814 993-1 | Netherlands | Reissue |
| Undated Riva | 814 993-1 | US | Reissue |
8 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 1984 Germany pressing it reads “AA 814 993 -1.1 Y” on side one and “AA 814 993 -1.2 Y” 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 1982 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 American Fool is worth the most?
Original 1982 pressings lead; they predate everything in our table, and that scarcity is the point. Among tracked copies, the 1984 pressings come first. 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 1984 Germany pressing the runout reads “AA 814 993 -1.1 Y”. A period jacket with a later disc inside is still a reissue.
How much is American Fool 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.
Open in the App StoreFree to try, iPhone, no account.