How do I know if my copy is a first pressing?

Check for a solid blue triangle on the Harvest label, SHVL 804 catalog number, Garrod & Lofthouse printing credit, and low stamper numbers in the runout groove.

How can an album that sold 45 million copies be valuable?

Because the first UK pressing is a tiny fraction of the total. Most copies are later pressings or reissues. The original 1973 UK pressing is the earliest, most authentic version.

Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon First UK Pressing Value Guide (2026)

Name: Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon (First UK Pressing, Harvest SHVL 804)
Brand: Harvest Records

Vinyl Records

Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon First UK Pressing Value Guide (2026)

Banfield, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Dark Side of the Moon spent 937 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart. That's nearly 18 years. It's sold over 45 million copies worldwide. It might be the most widely owned album in history. So why would a first pressing be valuable? Because while everyone has a copy, almost nobody has the copy - the original UK pressing on Harvest SHVL 804 with the solid blue triangle on the label, complete with original posters and stickers. That version sells for $5,000 to $10,000 or more in near-mint condition.

Quick Value Summary


Item	Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon (First UK Pressing)
Year	1973
Label	Harvest Records (SHVL 804)
Category	Vinyl Records
Format	12" LP, Stereo, Gatefold
Includes	Two posters and two stickers (when complete)
Condition Range
Early UK pressing, VG, missing inserts	$200 – $500
First pressing w/ solid blue triangle, good condition, complete	$1,000 – $3,000
Very early stamper, NM, complete w/ posters & stickers	$5,000 – $10,000+
Rarity	Uncommon (true first pressing); Common (later pressings)

The Story

Pink Floyd entered Abbey Road Studios in 1972 to record their follow-up to Meddle. Engineer Alan Parsons - who would later form The Alan Parsons Project - was behind the console. The band spent months crafting something different: a concept album about the pressures of modern life. Money. Time. Death. Madness. Every track flows into the next. It was designed to be experienced as a single, unbroken piece.

The iconic cover - a prism dispersing a beam of white light into a rainbow - was designed by Storm Thorgerson of Hipgnosis. Sleeve art and the sticker art inside were by George Hardie. It's one of the most recognizable album covers ever created, and it contains no text on the front at all. No band name. No album title. Just the prism.

Released on March 24, 1973, Dark Side was an immediate commercial and critical phenomenon. It stayed on the charts for years. Decades, really. But the first pressing - the one that rolled off EMI's presses in the spring of 1973 - is a specific, identifiable product. And it sounds different from the millions of copies that followed.

How to Identify a First UK Pressing

The Solid Blue Triangle

This is the single most important identifier. The earliest Harvest Records pressings feature a solid blue triangle on the label (as opposed to a later outlined triangle or different label design). If the triangle on the label is solid blue, you're looking at an early pressing.

Label and Pressing Details

Catalog number: SHVL 804
Label: Harvest Records
Pressed by: The Gramophone Co. Ltd. / EMI Records
Printed by: Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd. (check the gatefold for this credit)
Sleeve design and photography: Hipgnosis
Sleeve art and sticker art: George Hardie / N.T.A.
Engineered by: Alan Parsons

Stamper Numbers

Here's where it gets granular. Each stamper at EMI pressed approximately 300 to 500 copies before being replaced. The stamper number is found in the runout groove area near the label. Lower stamper numbers indicate earlier copies.

For example: stamper 146 means approximately the 73,000th copy (146 × 500). Stamper 1 or 2 would be from the very first few hundred copies pressed. These extremely early stampers command the highest premiums.

The Inserts

A complete first pressing should include:

Two posters (one of the band live, one of the pyramid design)
Two stickers (pyramid and prism designs)

Missing inserts reduce value significantly. Complete copies with original posters and stickers in good condition are the collector target.

What Disqualifies a Copy

Different label design (no solid blue triangle)
Different catalog number
US pressing (Harvest SMAS-11163) - a different release entirely
Missing Garrod & Lofthouse printing credit
High stamper numbers (still an early pressing, but not the "first" in the strictest sense)

Value by Condition

The massive print run means many UK pressings survive. But "first pressing" has a specific meaning here, and condition plus completeness determine value.

Description	Condition	Value Range
Early UK pressing, missing inserts	VG	$200 – $500
First pressing, solid blue triangle, complete	Good	$1,000 – $3,000
Very early stamper, complete, NM	Near Mint	$5,000 – $10,000+

Completeness is key. The posters and stickers are easy to lose over 50+ years. A complete copy with all four inserts in good condition is worth substantially more than the same record without them.

Stamper numbers matter. Low stamper numbers - indicating copies from the very first pressing run - command the highest prices. Collectors who care about having the earliest possible copy will pay premiums for stamper numbers in the single digits.

Sound Quality

Part of why collectors seek the first UK pressing is sound quality. These copies were pressed from early stampers, close to the original master tapes, at EMI's own plant. Audiophiles report richer bass, more dynamic range, and better overall clarity compared to later pressings and reissues.

Whether you can hear the difference depends on your equipment and your ears. But for many collectors, the combination of historical authenticity and superior sound makes the first UK pressing the definitive version.

Authentication & Fakes

Risks

Dark Side of the Moon has been pressed so many times that distinguishing a true first pressing from an early-but-not-first pressing requires attention to detail.

Later Harvest pressings sold as "firsts." Without the solid blue triangle on the label, it's not the earliest pressing.
Repro inserts. Posters and stickers can be reproduced. Original inserts have period-correct printing quality and paper stock.
Cover condition exaggeration. The gatefold is prone to ring wear, spine damage, and seam splits over 50 years. "Near mint" claims deserve scrutiny.

Verification Steps

✅ Solid blue triangle on Harvest label
✅ SHVL 804 catalog number
✅ Garrod & Lofthouse printing credit on gatefold
✅ EMI/Gramophone Co. pressing plant markings
✅ Low stamper numbers in runout groove
✅ Original posters and stickers (if claiming complete)

Where to Sell

Discogs - The go-to marketplace for collectible vinyl. Deep Pink Floyd collector base.
eBay - Larger audience. Essential: detailed photos of label, matrix, inserts, and cover condition.
Specialist record dealers - UK dealers who focus on classic rock first pressings.
Heritage Auctions - For truly exceptional copies (very low stampers, mint condition, complete).

Not sure what pressing you have? Upload a photo to Curio Comp for a free AI estimate. Upload a photo →

Common Questions

How much is a first UK pressing of Dark Side of the Moon worth?

$200 to $10,000+ depending on condition, completeness, and stamper numbers. A complete near-mint copy with a very early stamper is worth $5,000 to $10,000+. An early pressing in VG condition without inserts is $200 to $500.

How do I know if mine is a first pressing?

Check the label for a solid blue triangle. Verify the SHVL 804 catalog number, the Garrod & Lofthouse printing credit, and EMI pressing plant markings. Check the stamper numbers in the runout groove - lower numbers indicate earlier copies.

Do the posters and stickers matter?

Yes, significantly. A complete copy with both posters and both stickers is worth substantially more than the record alone. If you have the inserts, keep them safe - they're a big part of the value.

Is this the best-sounding version of the album?

Many audiophiles think so. First UK pressings were made from early stampers close to the original tapes, pressed at EMI's plant. Whether you hear a difference depends on your system, but the audiophile community consistently rates early UK pressings among the best-sounding versions.

How can an album that sold 45 million copies still be valuable?

Because 45 million people bought some pressing - not this pressing. The first UK pressing represents a tiny fraction of the total copies in existence. It's the earliest, most authentic version of a culturally landmark album. Scarcity within abundance.