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Data as of Jun 16, 2026
David Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World
1970 · US · Mercury · Vinyl LP Album Stereo
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Pressing identification
Match these against your copy to confirm the exact pressing.
- Runout — side A
- SR 61325-A- M2 1-11 + PR
- Runout — side B
- SR 61325-B- M1 1-1 P.R.
- Rights society
- ASCAP, PRS
- Pressing Plant ID
- PR, P.R.(In runouts)
- Record Company
- Mercury Record Corporation
- Manufactured By
- Mercury Record Productions, Inc.
- Recorded At
- Trident Studios
- Recorded At
- Advision Studios
- Remixed At
- Trident Studios
- Pressed By
- Philips Recording Company, Inc.
Specifications
- Artist
- David Bowie
- Genre
- Rock
- Style
- Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Glam
- Year
- 1970
- Label
- Mercury
- Catalog number
- SR 61325
- Country
- US
Tracklist
- A1The Width Of A Circle8:07
- A2All The Madmen5:38
- A3Black Country Rock3:33
- A4After All3:52
- B1Running Gun Blues3:12
- B2Saviour Machine4:27
- B3She Shook Me Cold4:13
- B4The Man Who Sold The World3:58
- B5The Supermen3:39
- Executive-Producer
- Robin McBride
- Producer
- Tony Visconti
- Engineer
- Ken Scott
- Written-By
- David Bowie
About this record
Machine-stamped matrix numbers in the dead wax separate this 1970 US Mercury pressing (SR 61325) from the counterfeits that flooded the market after Bowie's rise to fame—counterfeits bear hand-etched runouts and wider spacing on the back-cover cartoon bubble. The runout SR 61325-A- M2 1-11 + PR marks a Mercury Record Productions pressing, while SR 61325-B- M1 1-1 P.R. with its 2.75" pressing ring denotes Philips Recording Company, Inc. This was the first LP release of The Man Who Sold the World, limited to just 2 countries: the US and Japan (SFX-7345).
What drives its value
The 1970 US Mercury pressing commands a wide price range tied directly to condition and pressing-plant origin. Community demand is substantial: 3588 collectors want this title against 6469 who own one, reflecting its status as the original domestic release.
The price_guide data shows the spread from Mint down through VG+ and VG reflects how strictly grading applies here—original pressings with stamped matrices in pristine condition fetch top dollar, while played copies settle lower. The two pressing plants (Mercury Record Productions and Philips Recording Company) do not command different premiums in the current market, but the stamped-matrix authentication is non-negotiable: any etched runout signals a counterfeit.
Scarcity is moderate; the album's later RCA reissue and international variants (Germany's fold-out, UK/Australia dress cover) dilute demand for this specific US Mercury edition, yet its historical primacy and the Cane Hill Hospital cover story sustain collector interest.
How to appraise this pressing
Confirm this pressing by the catalogue number SR 61325 on the cover and spine (SR-61325 on labels). Examine the dead wax between label and grooves: the matrix must read SR 61325-A- M2 1-11 + PR or SR 61325-B- M1 1-1 P.R., and these characters must be machine-stamped, not hand-etched.
A 2.75" pressing ring indicates Philips Recording Company, Inc. pressing. On the back cover, measure the space between the final lyric line of "The Supermen" and the cartoon bubble "Oh By Jingo"—on originals it is approximately the height of a line of text; counterfeits show notably wider spacing.
The album contains 9 tracks in stereo. Any hand-etched runout, wider back-cover spacing, or absence of the stamped matrix is definitive proof of a counterfeit; do not list such copies as originals.
Grade by vinyl surface condition, label centering, and sleeve wear independently; the authentication step precedes all condition assessment.
Further reading: grading a record, what makes a pressing valuable.
Listen
Hear the album before you buy.
Official videos via YouTube.
Release notes
This release has stamped matrix numbers in the dead wax. All other versions with this cover are counterfeits (with etched matrix numbers) and should not be listed here.
"PR/P.R." in the runouts, and a 2.75" pressing ring denotes a Philips Recording Company, Inc. pressing.
This US release is the first release on LP of The Man Who Sold the World. It was only released in two countries - US and Japan (SFX-7345) - with this original cover. The building in the background is the Cane Hill Hospital where David Bowie's half-brother Terry was a patient.
The album was released in a further three countries on the Mercury label - Germany () in a large circular fold-out cover and the United Kingdom and Australia with a picture of David reclining in a dress. This latter cover is the one used on contemporary releases.
The US Mercury album was counterfeited (see ) in the early 1970s after Bowie became popular. It was possible for a potential buyer to choose between the official RCA reissue (in yet another cover, see ) and the widely distributed counterfeit.
The following visual indicators can be used to confirm an original US Mercury LP: • The matrices in the runout (the space between the label and the grooves) are machine stamped (the counterfeits are hand etched). • The space between the final lyric line of The Supermen and the cartoon bubble "Oh By Jingo" on the back cover is approximately the height of a line of text, while on the counterfeits the space is notably wider.
There are other differences, though these can be more easily seen and described in a side-by-side comparison.
SR 61325 on covers & spine, SR-61325 on labels.
Runouts are stamped except '1-11, 1-1, +, PR, P.R.' are etched.
Notes sourced from the Discogs database.
Frequently asked
How do I tell an original 1970 US Mercury pressing from a counterfeit?
Machine-stamped matrix numbers in the runout (SR 61325-A- M2 1-11 + PR or SR 61325-B- M1 1-1 P.R.) are the primary marker; counterfeits have hand-etched runouts. Second, check the back cover: the space between the final lyric of "The Supermen" and the "Oh By Jingo" cartoon bubble should be approximately one line of text tall on originals, but notably wider on fakes. The pressing plant can be identified by the 2.75" pressing ring (Philips Recording Company, Inc.) or the absence of it (Mercury Record Productions, Inc.). Counterfeits were widely distributed in the early 1970s after Bowie's popularity surged.
What is the catalogue number for this pressing?
SR 61325 appears on the cover and spine; the label reads SR-61325. Both refer to the same 1970 US Mercury release. The runout matrices are SR 61325-A- M2 1-11 + PR and SR 61325-B- M1 1-1 P.R., with the latter indicating a Philips Recording Company, Inc. pressing.
Was this the first LP release of The Man Who Sold the World?
Yes. This 1970 US Mercury pressing was the first LP release of the album and was issued in only 2 countries: the US and Japan (catalogue SFX-7345). Later Mercury releases appeared in Germany (with a large circular fold-out cover) and the United Kingdom and Australia (with the dress cover). An RCA reissue followed, using yet another cover.
What do the community ratings tell us about this pressing?
Out of 624 ratings, the album averages 4.29 stars, indicating strong approval among collectors who own it. Demand is robust: 3588 collectors want this title while 6469 have it, a ratio that reflects its historical importance as the original US release but also the availability of later pressings and reissues that satisfy some collectors' needs.
How many tracks are on this album?
The 1970 US Mercury pressing contains 9 tracks in stereo. The album is classified as Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock, and Glam within the Rock genre.