Queen: the legendary band's most collectible vinyl records

Collecting Queen vinyl records Queen means navigating original first pressings, promotional rarities, and visually striking special editions.

The value of a Queen vinyl record ranges from a few dozen euros for recent reissues to several thousand euros for rare pressings, test pressings, and vintage promotional singles in perfect condition.

1. The Holy Grail and Absolute Rarities

Title / Format	Collectible Details	Estimated Value
Bohemian Rhapsody (7" Blue Vinyl, 1978)	Pressed by EMI in just 200 numbered copies on blue vinyl to celebrate the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement. Includes commemorative invitations and glasses.	€5,000 – €10,000+
Queen / Queen II (UK First Pressing - EMI, 1973-1974)	The earliest British pressings (identifiable by the matrix etched into the runout groove and the inner sleeve). Queen II has the famous distinction between "Side White" and "Side Black".	€150 – €500+
News of the World (Promo / Mispress Editions)	Copies with cover printing errors or test pressings (Test Pressing) made before the official 1977 release.	€300 – €1.500

2. Essential Studio Albums

A Night at the Opera (1975): The band's absolute masterpiece. Early UK editions on the EMI label with a gatefold cover and embossed logo are highly sought after.

Sheer Heart Attack (1974): Represents the band's rock breakthrough. Period pressings retain a high value because of the dynamic sound of the original analog mastering.

The Game (1980): Famous for its silver, mirror-effect cover. Original US or Japanese editions with the foil effect intact are among the most sought-after.

3. Collectible Box Sets and Picture Discs

Queen: The Studio Collection (18-LP Box Set): Box set containing all 15 studio albums, reissued on 180-gram colored vinyl and mastered at half speed (Half-Speed Mastered) at Abbey Road Studios.

The Platinum Collection (6 Colored LPs): Collects the three Greatest Hits on vinyl in striking collectible colors.

1970s / 1980s Picture Discs: Singles and albums pressed with the band's image embedded on the vinyl itself (e.g., the Bicycle Race or The Invisible Man single).

Identifying an original Queen first pressing (UK First Pressing) produced by EMI requires analyzing four key elements: the matrix (Matrix Number) on the vinyl, the center label (Label), the cover, and the inner sleeve (Inner Sleeve).

1. The Matrix Number

The most important detail for verifying the very first pressing is found in the vinyl's final section (run-out or dead wax), etched directly into the record:

Code format: Look for codes such as YAX 4735-1U (side A) and YAX 4736-1U (side B).

The "-1U" suffix: The final number and letter indicate the lacquer cut number. For Queen's first pressings from the 1970s, the notation -1U (or in some cases -2U or -3U) identifies the very first pressing made from the original master tape.

Factory stamps: In the inner groove, you will also find the stamper identifiers (e.g., mother numbers and stamper codes at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions relative to the main code).

2. Period EMI Labels

Queen / Queen II (1973-1974): The earliest albums feature the classic EMI label with a brown/cream background (known as the EMI Fame/Cream Label) before the introduction of customized designs.

Queen II (Unique detail): The label does not say "Side 1" and "Side 2", but rather "Side White" (side A, with a white background) and "Side Black" (side B, with a black background).

Copyright markings: Original labels bear the wording "The Gramophone Co. Ltd." along the outer edge. Toward the end of 1973 and the beginning of 1974, this wording changed to "EMI Records Ltd.". Early Queen records must have the wording corresponding to their exact year of production.

3. Cover and Finishes (Sleeve)

The cover printers: Original British covers from the 1970s were printed by historic printers such as Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd. or Clout & Baker Ltd.. The printer's mark is usually found in the bottom-right corner of the back or inside the gatefold.

The paper finish:

Queen (1973) and Queen II (1974) have a glossy laminated cover (Laminated Cover).

A Night at the Opera (1975) has a glossy gatefold cover featuring the famous Queen crest slightly embossed on the front.

4. The Inner Sleeves

Shaped corners: Period inner sleeves often had cut or rounded corners and a glossy finish compared with later reissues.

Credits: The wording Crest Design © Queen Productions Ltd 1975 or equivalent must be present. Inner sleeves without images or replaced with plain white paper drastically reduce the item's collectible value.

Here are the precise details for identifying the original British first pressing (UK First Pressing) del capolavoro dei Queen del 1975, of Queen's 1975 masterpiece,.

A Night at the Opera

1. Catalog and Matrix Code (Run-out / Dead Wax)

The very first British pressing was mastered by Chris Blair at Abbey Road Studios. EMTC 103 Catalog Number: The code also appears below the catalog number on the back (present on the back of the cover, the spine, and the labels). 0C 066 97176.

Side A Matrix: YAX 5063-2 (N.B. For this album, the -2 cut is the first matrix used for commercial production).

Side B Matrix: YAX 5064-2 (or -3 in some very early parallel pressings).

The "BLAIR'S" Signature: Hand-etched in the final blank area of the vinyl (run-out) on both sides, the wording BLAIR'S (the famous "Blair's Cut") must appear clearly.

2. The Vinyl Center Labels

Custom Crest Label: Unlike the first three albums, the labels of A Night at the Opera do not have the classic EMI cream-brown background, but rather a white/gray gradient illustration with the Queen crest at the top.

Copyright Credit: The wording must appear along the bottom edge of the label:

"EMI Records Ltd."

Matrix code printing: Above the catalog number EMTC 103 is printed in small text on the label YAX.5063 (Side 1) and YAX.5064 (Side 2).

3. The Gatefold Sleeve

Embossed Crest: On the front of the white cover, the famous Queen logo designed by Freddie Mercury must be embossed to the touch (embossed). Later reissues have a completely smooth cover.

Typography: Inside the gatefold, at the bottom right, the credit of the historic British printing company must appear:

"Made and Printed in Great Britain by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd."

4. The Inner Sleeve

Artwork and Lyrics: The original inner sleeve is in color, rigid, glossy, and contains the song lyrics on one side and a photograph of the band and the album credits on the other.

Cut Corners: The very first original inner sleeve is immediately recognizable by its three upper/lower corners shaped/cut at 45 degrees and a crescent-shaped cutout on the upper opening to facilitate removing the record.

Code at the bottom: The code must be printed in small text in the corner of the inner sleeve EMTC 103 (I).