**Dark Side of the Moon Vinyl Value 2026 | VinylAI**

> What a Dark Side of the Moon LP is worth: how to spot the 1973 UK SHVL 804 first pressing and US SMAS-11163, the editions that matter and verified sales.

Source: https://vinylai.app/guides/dark-side-of-the-moon-vinyl-value-guide/ · updated: 2026-10-12

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The Dark Side of the Moon Vinyl Value Guide: How to Spot a 1973 First Pressing and What It Is Worth

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Buying & Selling

# The Dark Side of the Moon Vinyl Value Guide: How to Spot a 1973 First Pressing and What It Is Worth

**Pink Floyd's *The Dark Side of the Moon* came out in March 1973 and has sold more than 45 million copies**, so most LPs on the market are common records worth listening-copy money. The copies that fetch real money are clean, complete **UK first pressings on Harvest SHVL 804**. You can recognise one in a minute: a **solid light-blue prism** on the label (later labels show only an outlined prism), "The Gramophone Co." rim text, and `SHVL 804 A-2` / `SHVL 804 B-2` stamped in the dead wax. This guide shows how to identify the UK and US originals, lists the editions that matter, and names the sales we could actually document. The highest is about $12,000 to $13,000, for a near-mint 1973 first pressing sold on Discogs in March 2026.

By VinylAI Editorial Updated October 12, 2026

## Key Takeaways

- The UK first issue is Harvest SHVL 804 (16 March 1973) with a solid light-blue prism label, "The Gramophone Co." rim text and SHVL 804 A-2 / B-2 runouts. Later labels show only an outlined prism.
- The US release came first, on 1 March 1973, as Harvest SMAS-11163. Early copies have no MASTERED BY CAPITOL stamp and were pressed at several Capitol plants at once.
- Over 45 million copies sold and 672 vinyl versions on Discogs make most copies common. The UK and US 1973 editions came with two posters and two stickers, and completeness drives value.
- The highest verified sale is a near-mint first pressing sold on Discogs in March 2026: $11,842 per What Hi-Fi, over $13,000 per Discogs.

## What a Dark Side of the Moon LP is usually worth

Start with supply. Wikipedia puts worldwide sales at more than 45 million copies by 2013, and the album had spent 996 weeks on the Billboard 200 by January 2026. Discogs lists 672 vinyl versions under the album's master release. About 32,400 Discogs users list the UK first pressing in their collections, and about 52,000 list the most common US 1973 pressing. When that many people own a record, there is always another copy for sale.

So the honest rule of thumb is this: **a played 1970s copy, or any later reissue, is worth roughly what a new reissue costs, often less.** That is a rule, not a quote. Three things move a copy above it:

- **Which pressing it is.** The UK first issue with the solid-prism label is the one collectors pay for. A US or European 1973 copy is collectible but far more common.
- **Condition.** The black sleeve shows ring wear and scuffs badly, and quiet passages expose surface noise. Grade the vinyl and the sleeve separately with our [vinyl grading guide](https://vinylai.app/guides/vinyl-grading-guide/).
- **Completeness.** The UK, US and most European 1973 editions shipped with two posters and two stickers. A copy without them is incomplete, and buyers price it that way.

## The UK first pressing (Harvest SHVL 804): how to tell

In the UK the album came out on Harvest on 16 March 1973 as **SHVL 804**, with EMI's international number **1E 064 o 05249** printed small, in brackets, on the back cover. EMI pressed huge numbers to meet advance orders, and Discogs documents 88 runout variations on the first issue alone. A first issue has all of these:

1. **Label:** a **solid light-blue prism** with silver lettering. From the second issue onwards the prism is only an outline, with a blue glowing edge and a black centre.
2. **Rim text:** "The Gramophone Co. Ltd." starting at about 10 o'clock. On the third issue the rim text changes to "EMI Records Ltd".
3. **Runout:** `SHVL 804 A-2` and `SHVL 804 B-2`, stamped, followed by stamper letters (next section). Higher matrix numbers such as A-3/B-3 belong to later issues.
4. **Inner sleeve:** a die-cut black, polythene-lined paper sleeve with the patent numbers 1125555 and 1072844 bottom left and "MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN" bottom right.
5. **Sleeve:** a gatefold printed by Garrod & Lofthouse, with the code `Ⓛ 7303 TPS` inside. There are three variations of the front opening (glued shut, sealed with a fold-over flap, or open). Some copies carry a small round "Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon" sticker on the front.
6. **Inserts:** two A2-sized posters and two postcard-sized stickers, on matte or gloss paper.

Discogs also notes that some early copies made with A2/B2 stampers have a manufacturing defect that makes "Money" skip. That is a known flaw of the pressing, not necessarily damage.

Two transitional issues sit between the first issue and the later EMI ones. The **second issue** already has the outline prism but keeps "The Gramophone Co." rim text, with A2/B2, A3/B2 or A3/B3 runouts. A short-lived **crossover** has a first-repress label on side one and a second-repress label on side two. Both are early, but neither is the solid-prism first issue that sales records are made of. Our [first pressing identification guide](https://vinylai.app/guides/first-pressing-identification/) explains the general method.

## Reading the runout: A-2, B-2 and the letters after them

EMI's UK runouts have two parts. `SHVL 804 A-2` is the matrix: catalogue number, side and lacquer cut. On the stereo first issue both sides are **-2** lacquers, so a copy reading `SHVL 804 A-2` and `SHVL 804 B-2` passes the runout test.

The letters after the matrix, such as `G`, `GG`, `PD` or `RM`, are EMI's stamper code. EMI wrote numbers with the ten letters of GRAMOPHLTD: G=1, R=2, A=3, M=4, O=5, P=6, H=7, L=8, T=9, D=0. A single `G` means 1, `GG` means 11 and `PD` means 60. Low numbers mean early metal parts, which is why sellers advertise copies as "1G" or "G1". The code is a nice detail, but it does not decide whether a copy is a first issue. The label and the A-2/B-2 matrix decide that.

The first-issue runouts documented on Discogs are stamped: the matrix and the stamper letters, with no hand-etched signature. When you buy, ask for a clear photo of the dead wax on both sides. Our guide to [runout and matrix numbers](https://vinylai.app/guides/vinyl-runout-matrix-numbers-decoded/) covers the codes used by other plants.

## The US first pressing (Harvest SMAS-11163)

The album was released in the US first, on 1 March 1973, as **Harvest SMAS-11163**, made and distributed by Capitol. It was a Harvest label release. The black Capitol label with the rainbow ring belongs to the 1983 reissue. Look for these points:

- **Who cut it:** lacquers were cut at Capitol by Wally Traugott (`Wly` in the runout) or Ken Perry (`KP`).
- **Earliest state:** no stamped `MASTERED BY CAPITOL` in the dead wax. Discogs notes that the stamp indicates late 1973 at the earliest. The label's "MFD. BY CAPITOL" rim text runs from 8 o'clock to 4 o'clock, and there is no "rights reserved" line. Inside the gatefold, first-state sleeves carry the line "INTERPAK™ Pats. Pending".
- **Plant mark:** Capitol pressed it in several plants at once. A stamped `✲` means Los Angeles, `─◁` means Winchester, and `0` means Jacksonville. A typical early Winchester runout reads `SMAS-1-11163-F4 ─◁`.
- **Inserts:** two posters and two stickers. Many shrink-wrapped copies had a black round hype sticker on the wrap.

No US plant is "the" first pressing. They pressed at the same time, so the plant mark tells you where a copy was made, not whether it is early. US copies are far more common than UK first issues, and a clean, complete early US copy is collectible but not rare. For sealed copies, read our [sealed vinyl value guide](https://vinylai.app/guides/sealed-vinyl-records-value/) before paying a premium, because reseals exist.

## Other 1973 pressings around the world

EMI companies pressed the album locally almost everywhere, under their own catalogue numbers. These are the 1973 first issues you are most likely to meet:

- **Canada: SMAS-11163**, made by Capitol Records (Canada). The back cover says it was manufactured in Canada by Capitol Records EMI of Canada.
- **Germany: 1 C 062-05 249** (EMI Electrola), with two posters and two small graphic inserts. Discogs lists several 1973 variants, told apart by symbols next to the catalogue number on the back.
- **Netherlands: 5C 062-05249. France: 2C 064-05249. Italy: 3C 064-05249**. The Italian runout carries the lacquer-cutting date `23-2-73`.
- **Japan: EOP-80778** on Odeon/Harvest, the first Japanese issue, with an obi priced ¥2,000, a 32-page booklet, two posters and a postcard. **EMS-80324** is a later (1974) Japanese pressing priced ¥2,500, and **EMLF-97002** is the 1978 "Pro-Use Series" reissue, sold without posters or stickers.
- **Australia: SHVLA.804. Brazil: XHVL-1001.**

**Quadraphonic editions** also appeared in 1973, including the UK **Q4SHVL 804** (SQ system) and the Australian Q4 SHVLA.804. They carry a quad mix by Alan Parsons that Wikipedia notes was never endorsed by the band. They are a curiosity worth knowing, and you need SQ decoding to hear them as intended.

As with the US plants, the country matters for identification. For value, condition and completeness usually count for more.

## Every notable edition in one table

The table picks the editions a reader needs to tell apart from Discogs' 672 vinyl versions: the UK issues in order, the US plant and cutter variants, the main 1973 national editions, the quad and picture discs, and the reissues that matter. It shows the catalogue number and the side A runout.

| Year | Country | Label and catalogue no. | Format | Runout (side A) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1973 | Canada | [Harvest SMAS-11163](https://www.discogs.com/release/8314502) | LP / Album / Gatefold | `SMAS-1-11163` |
| 1973 | Germany | [Harvest 1 C 062-05 249](https://www.discogs.com/release/370444) | LP / Album / Stereo / Circle On Back, Gatefold | `05 249 A - 1` |
| 1973 | Italy | [Harvest 3C 064-05249](https://www.discogs.com/release/385242) | LP / Album / Stereo / Gatefold | `05249-A - 23-2-73 I` |
| 1973 | Japan | [Harvest EOP-80778](https://www.discogs.com/release/1900715) | LP / Album / Stereo / Gatefold Sleeve | `SHVL-804-A 1S 23 3DW` |
| 1973 | UK | [Harvest SHVL 804](https://www.discogs.com/release/1873013) | LP / Album / Stereo / Gatefold Sleeve, 1st Pressing | `SHVL 804 A-2 G 1` |
| 1973 | UK | [Harvest SHVL 804](https://www.discogs.com/release/2655031) | LP / Album / 2nd issue | `SHVL 804 A-3 1 GLL` |
| 1973 | UK | [Harvest SHVL 804](https://www.discogs.com/release/3047604) | LP / Album / Stereo / French Pressing, Gatefold | `05249 A 21 M6 291629 12` |
| 1973 | UK | [Harvest SHVL 804](https://www.discogs.com/release/15370292) | LP / Album / Repress / Stereo / 3rd, Gatefold | `SHVL 804 A-3` |
| 1973 | UK | [Harvest SHVL 804](https://www.discogs.com/release/24571544) | LP / Album / Misprint / Repress / Crossover Pressing, Misprinted Labels | `SHVL 804 A-3 A G O` |
| 1973 | UK | [Harvest Q4SHVL 804](https://www.discogs.com/release/1830381) | LP / Album / Quadraphonic / Gatefold | `QHVL 804 A-1 G 1` |
| 1973 | US | [Harvest SMAS-11163](https://www.discogs.com/release/367104) | LP / Album / Winchester Pressing, Wly Mastering, Gatefold | `SMAS-1-11163-F4 ─◁` |
| 1973 | US | [Harvest SMAS-11163](https://www.discogs.com/release/7722180) | LP / Album / Stereo / 1st State Wly Jacksonville | `SMAS1 11163 F1 #4 Wly 0` |
| 1973 | US | [Harvest SMAS-11163](https://www.discogs.com/release/8136235) | LP / Album / Winchester Pressing, KP Mastering, Gatefold | `SMAS-1-11163-F31#2 -------◄ KP MASTERED BY CAPITOL` |
| 1974 | Japan | [Harvest EMS-80324](https://www.discogs.com/release/1549804) | LP / Album / Repress / Gatefold | `SHVL-804-A 1S3 16 X-L` |
| 1974 | UK | [Harvest SHVL 804](https://www.discogs.com/release/4655423) | LP / Album / Repress / Stereo / 4th Issue, Gatefold | `SHVL 804 A-5` |
| 1978 | Japan | [EMI EMLF-97002](https://www.discogs.com/release/2395387) | LP / Album / Reissue / Gatefold | `SHVL-804-A-H 1S 1 〄 P 8 - 5` |
| 1978 | UK | [Harvest SHVLP 804](https://www.discogs.com/release/4197922) | LP / Album / Limited Edition / Picture Disc | `M6 291629 19 0 5249 A 21` |
| 1978 | US | [Capitol Records SEAX-11902](https://www.discogs.com/release/424987) | LP / Album / Limited Edition / Picture Disc / Reissue | `SEAX-1-11902 G-2 MASTERED BY CAPITOL` |
| 1979 | US | [Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL 1-017](https://www.discogs.com/release/416621) | LP / Album / Limited Edition / Reissue / Remastered / Stereo | `MFSL-1-017-A2-1 SR2 H213` |
| 1981 | US | [Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFQR 1-017](https://www.discogs.com/release/2318072) | LP / Album / Reissue / Remastered / Stereo | `MFSL-1-0 17 -A12-1 SR/2 UH 2 17 ꔰꔰꔰ` |
| 1983 | US | [Capitol Records SMAS 11163](https://www.discogs.com/release/4628141) | LP / Album / Reissue / Rainbow Label | `SMAS-1-11163 G 85` |
| 2003 | Europe | [Harvest SHVL 804](https://www.discogs.com/release/457025) | LP / Album / Reissue / Remastered / Stereo / 180 Gram, 30th Anniversary Edition | `5821361 A 9255.1(3)... DSOTM-A2 KPG@ATM DOUG` |
| 2011 | Europe | [Harvest SHVL 804](https://www.discogs.com/release/3211255) | LP / Album / Reissue / Remastered / Stereo / 180 gram, Gatefold | `BB42309-01 A1 0298761 A TML-M` |
| 2016 | Europe | [Pink Floyd Records PFRLP8](https://www.discogs.com/release/9287809) | LP / Album / Reissue / Remastered / Stereo / 180g, Gatefold | `16690 2A 5099902987613-A BG` |
| 2023 | Europe | [Pink Floyd Records PFR50LP1](https://www.discogs.com/release/28580086) | LP / Album / Reissue / Remastered / Stereo / 50th Anniversary, 180 Gram | `5054197141478-A 50TH 37307 3A BG ▽` |

Source: Discogs database, checked 2026-10-12. 25 of 672 vinyl releases of this title are shown, oldest first.

The reissues worth knowing:

- **Picture discs, 1978:** the UK **SHVLP 804**, which Discogs notes was limited to 1,000 copies, and the US Capitol **SEAX-11902**. Discogs also lists several unofficial picture discs from the 1990s onwards. Treat any picture disc without a clear Harvest or Capitol origin as a bootleg.
- **Mobile Fidelity MFSL 1-017 (1979)**, half-speed mastered by Stan Ricker and pressed by JVC in Japan. Its 1981 **UHQR** edition, **MFQR 1-017**, came in a numbered box limited to 5,000 copies. See our [half-speed mastering guide](https://vinylai.app/guides/half-speed-mastering-vinyl/) for what that process changes.
- **Capitol SMAS-11163 (1983)**, the black Capitol label with the rainbow ring and a barcode on the sleeve.
- **30th Anniversary Edition (2003)**, 180g, cut by Doug Sax and Kevin Gray at AcousTech, with replica posters and stickers plus a new poster.
- **2011 remaster**, 180g, mastered at The Mastering Lab.
- **Pink Floyd Records PFRLP8 (2016)**, remastered by James Guthrie, Joel Plante and Bernie Grundman and cut by Grundman. It is the most-owned version on Discogs.
- **50th Anniversary remaster PFR50LP1 (2023)**, and a 2024 UV-printed clear edition.

## Documented sales: what first pressings have actually fetched

These are the sales we could verify on 12 October 2026, each from a source we opened:

| Item | Result | Where and when |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1973 first pressing, near mint, described by the seller as one of the first 300 copies with a "1G/1G" matrix and ex-EMI-employee provenance | $11,842 (Discogs and press reports said "over $13,000") | Sold on Discogs, March 2026. The top sale of the month in What Hi-Fi's list of Discogs sales, 13 April 2026 |
| 1973 UK first pressing | $4,333 | Sold on Discogs, July 2025. No. 2 in What Hi-Fi's monthly list, 13 August 2025 |
| Sealed US first issue (Harvest SMAS-11163) with black round hype sticker | $1,236 | eBay auction ended 31 October 2021, archived by Popsike |
| Album cover signed by Roger Waters and Nick Mason | $875 incl. buyer's premium | RR Auction lot 665, auction 697, ended 14 August 2024 |

The two prices for the March 2026 copy come from different reports of what is likely the same sale. We show both rather than pick one. The seller's "first 300" claim cannot be checked: EMI pressed the first issue in huge numbers, and nothing on a record shows its place in the run.

We found no auction or press record of an unsigned copy selling above $20,000; the highest documented sale is the near-mint first pressing sold on Discogs in March 2026 ($11,842 in What Hi-Fi's list of Discogs sales, 13 April 2026). The pattern is consistent: the money is in **exceptional, complete UK first issues**. A worn copy, or a copy missing its posters and stickers, is a different and much cheaper record.

## Posters, stickers and completeness

The UK and US first issues came with **two posters and two stickers**, and so did most European editions. The UK posters are A2-sized. The German edition came with the two posters and two small graphic inserts. The first Japanese issue came with two posters, a postcard and a 32-page booklet, and its obi is part of the package.

Collectors check for these items before anything else, because they disappear over the years. The posters were folded and pinned to walls, and the stickers were stuck on things. A copy described as complete should show both posters and both stickers in the photos, not just the record and sleeve. Reissues from 2003 onwards reproduce the posters and stickers, so a poster on its own does not prove the record is an original.

The sleeve itself is the other weak point. The black gatefold shows ring wear, scuffing and seam splits very clearly. If you are selling, photograph the sleeve in raking light and describe any wear honestly. If you are buying, ask for those photos. Our guide to [original pressings versus reissues](https://vinylai.app/guides/original-pressing-vs-reissue/) explains the general checks for telling an old sleeve from a new one.

## Which Dark Side of the Moon edition to buy

| If you want… | Buy | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| An original to play, cheaply | A clean 1973 US Harvest SMAS-11163 or a later UK issue with posters and stickers | Period pressings that are easy to find. Pick on condition and completeness. |
| The collector's original | A UK first issue: solid light-blue prism, Gramophone Co. rim text, `SHVL 804 A-2` / `B-2` | The edition behind every documented high sale. Buy on photos of the label, dead wax and inserts. |
| A new copy | The 2016 PFRLP8 or the 2023 50th Anniversary remaster | In print, remastered from the analogue tapes, with posters and stickers. |
| An audiophile collectible | Mobile Fidelity MFSL 1-017 (1979) or the UHQR MFQR 1-017 (1981, 5,000 copies) | Half-speed mastered by Stan Ricker and pressed by JVC. |
| A curiosity | A 1973 quadraphonic edition (UK Q4SHVL 804) | A different mix by Alan Parsons. Needs an SQ decoder. |

If you have an original to sell, describe it with the details buyers check: label design, rim text, the runout on both sides, and which inserts are present. Our [guide to selling vinyl](https://vinylai.app/guides/how-to-sell-vinyl-records/) covers where to list it. For the band's next albums, see our [Animals vinyl guide](https://vinylai.app/guides/pink-floyd-animals-vinyl-value-guide/) and [The Wall vinyl guide](https://vinylai.app/guides/the-wall-vinyl-value-guide/). To identify your copy from a photo, the VinylAI app reads the label and catalogue number, matches the pressing and adds it to your collection.

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Table of Contents

- What a Dark Side of the Moon LP is usually worth
- The UK first pressing (Harvest SHVL 804): how to tell
- Reading the runout: A-2, B-2 and the letters after them
- The US first pressing (Harvest SMAS-11163)
- Other 1973 pressings around the world
- Every notable edition in one table
- Documented sales: what first pressings have actually fetched
- Posters, stickers and completeness
- Which Dark Side of the Moon edition to buy

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- [Steely Dan Aja on Vinyl at 50: Every Pressing Compared, Best Sounding and What It's Worth](https://vinylai.app/guides/steely-dan-aja-vinyl-value-guide/)
- [Michael Jackson Bad Vinyl at 40: 1987 Original, Value and Which Pressing to Buy](https://vinylai.app/guides/michael-jackson-bad-vinyl-value-guide/)
- [OK Computer Vinyl at 30: 1997 First Pressing vs Reissues, Value and OKNOTOK](https://vinylai.app/guides/ok-computer-vinyl-value-guide/)
- [Pink Floyd Animals Vinyl at 50: 1977 First Pressing, Value and Best Edition](https://vinylai.app/guides/pink-floyd-animals-vinyl-value-guide/)
- [Hotel California Vinyl at 50: First Pressing, Value and Which Edition to Buy](https://vinylai.app/guides/hotel-california-vinyl-value-guide/)

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## FAQ: The Dark Side of the Moon vinyl value

How can I tell if my Dark Side of the Moon vinyl is a first pressing?

For the UK first issue, check three things. The label has a solid light-blue prism (later issues show only an outlined prism). The rim text starts with "The Gramophone Co. Ltd." And the dead wax reads SHVL 804 A-2 on side one and SHVL 804 B-2 on side two, stamped. A complete copy also has a die-cut black inner sleeve, two posters and two stickers. In the US, the first issue is Harvest SMAS-11163 without the MASTERED BY CAPITOL stamp.

How much is a 1973 Dark Side of the Moon vinyl worth?

It depends on which 1973 copy you have. Most 1973 copies, US or European, are common, and a played one is worth roughly what a new reissue costs, sometimes less. A clean, complete UK first issue is the valuable one: Discogs sales reported by What Hi-Fi include $4,333 in July 2025 and $11,842 in March 2026 for a near-mint copy. Condition and the posters and stickers make the biggest difference.

What is SHVL 804, and is it valuable?

SHVL 804 is the UK catalogue number on Harvest, used on the 1973 first issue and on UK repressings for years afterwards. The number alone does not make a copy valuable. What matters is the label: the first issue has a solid light-blue prism and Gramophone Co. rim text, with A-2/B-2 runouts. A later SHVL 804 with an outlined prism and EMI Records rim text is a common record.

What is the most valuable Dark Side of the Moon pressing ever sold?

The highest sale we could verify is a near-mint 1973 first pressing sold on Discogs in March 2026. What Hi-Fi's list of Discogs sales gives $11,842, and Discogs and press reports said over $13,000. The seller described it as one of the first 300 copies, which cannot be checked.

Is the US Harvest SMAS-11163 a first pressing?

Yes. The album came out in the US on 1 March 1973 as Harvest SMAS-11163, two weeks before the UK release. The earliest US copies have no MASTERED BY CAPITOL stamp in the runout, label rim text from 8 to 4 o'clock and "INTERPAK Pats. Pending" inside the gatefold. They were pressed at several Capitol plants at once and are far more common than UK first issues, so they sell for much less.

Do the posters and stickers affect the value?

Yes. The UK and US 1973 editions came with two posters and two stickers, and collectors treat a copy without them as incomplete. Check for both posters and both stickers before buying, and photograph them when you sell. Be aware that the 2003, 2011, 2016 and 2023 reissues include reproductions, so a poster on its own does not prove that the record or the sleeve is an original.

Is the Mobile Fidelity Dark Side of the Moon worth more than a standard copy?

The Mobile Fidelity MFSL 1-017 from 1979 is a sought-after audiophile edition: half-speed mastered by Stan Ricker and pressed by JVC in Japan. Its 1981 UHQR edition, MFQR 1-017, came in a numbered box limited to 5,000 copies and is scarcer. They are collected as audiophile editions, not as originals, and like any copy their value depends on condition and completeness (the UHQR box included).

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Table of Contents

- What a Dark Side of the Moon LP is usually worth
- The UK first pressing (Harvest SHVL 804): how to tell
- Reading the runout: A-2, B-2 and the letters after them
- The US first pressing (Harvest SMAS-11163)
- Other 1973 pressings around the world
- Every notable edition in one table
- Documented sales: what first pressings have actually fetched
- Posters, stickers and completeness
- Which Dark Side of the Moon edition to buy

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