Vinyl Record Stamper Numbers

The first stamper to be made from the mother has the letter b the next one has u etc.
Vinyl record stamper numbers. See our related article about uk emi stampers here. These numbers are also called matrix or stamper numbers. Discogs is a user generated database with more than 12 million copies of music listed. The serial number of the vinyl record is a great tool for determining a value of vinyl record.
A matrix or stamper number is a code etched inside the end groove area found on each side of a vinyl lp. How do we define a first pressing or pressed vinyl record how a vinyl record is made. I pressed etched in the runout polygram labels casablanca mercury polydor etc. 70 on label for 78s.
The most important part of the extra information is usually the cut number which is a suffix to the main number. So our stampers u i would be 2 u and 5 i would make ours the 25th stamper. The long stream of numbers sometimes prefaced by two or three letter code are typically a catalog number or part number identifying the stamper used. These numbers are often different from another number.
It s also a marketplace where users can buy and sell records. The highest number i have found to date is 5. This is the number of the metal mother used to make the stamper. Immediately after this is commonly followed by a dash and a number letter combination such as 1a.
This is true for vinyl 33 45 and 78 rpm records compact discs cassettes 8 track tapes and dvds. Essentially this is your album s id. The number is sometimes difficult to se but it is there. Follow these three easy steps to find the value of vinyl records using discogs the largest physical music database on the web.
R on label this may actually refer to the rockaway plant rca victor. Opened august 5 1939 stopped vinyl production in 1987. Consisting of numbers and or letters the code may indicate recording dates specific takes and even the system of recording. Most of all lp s has either 1 or 2.
This number can be found approximately at 9 a clock on the vinyl. The number is used to track sales through distributors and for the label s in house accounting purposes. For example matrix number 12345 is seen on a label but examination of the run out groove area reveals number 12345 3 which indicates this is the third cut of this side. In general you can find the serial number in the right shows of the records.
Vinyl record price guide. This little number might not mean much to your average record buyer in fact most people never even notice it.