The Clash London Calling First UK Pressing Value & Price Guide

On December 14, 1979, CBS Records released a double album by a London punk band that was supposed to be too angry, too political, and too loud for the mainstream. London Calling debuted at number nine on the UK albums chart. By the end of the following year, it had gone gold in the United States. Rolling Stone would later name it the best album of the 1980s, even though it came out in 1979. The first UK pressing of London Calling is where that story begins on vinyl.

Quick Value Summary

• Item: The Clash, London Calling (First UK Pressing)

• Year: 1979

• Label: CBS Records (UK), Catalogue No. CBS CLASH 3

• Category: Vinyl Records

• Condition Range:

  • Good (G+): $15 - $30
  • Very Good (VG): $30 - $60
  • Very Good Plus (VG+): $60 - $150
  • Near Mint (NM): $200 - $500
  • Sealed/Mint: $500 - $1,000+

• Record Sale: Near mint copies with sticker and original inserts have sold above $800

• Rarity: Uncommon in truly near mint condition; common in lower grades

The Story

By 1979, The Clash had already released two albums of raw, fast punk rock. Their self-titled debut in 1977 and Give 'Em Enough Rope in 1978 established them as one of the pillars of British punk alongside the Sex Pistols and the Buzzcocks. But Joe Strummer and Mick Jones wanted more. They were listening to reggae, rockabilly, jazz, and R&B, and they wanted their third album to reflect all of it.

The recording sessions at Wessex Sound Studios in London were chaotic and brilliant. Producer Guy Stevens threw chairs, poured beer on the mixing console, and reportedly pushed a ladder onto a piano to get the right sound. The band wrote more than enough material for a single album, and CBS initially balked at releasing a double. The Clash insisted, and the label eventually agreed to release the two-disc set at the price of a single album.

The result was 19 tracks that covered punk, reggae, ska, rockabilly, jazz, pop, and hard rock. "London Calling" opened with one of the greatest riffs in rock history. "Rudie Can't Fail" blended ska rhythms with punk energy. "Train in Vain" was a last-minute addition that became the band's first US hit. "The Guns of Brixton" was the only Clash song written and sung by bassist Paul Simonon.

The cover photograph, taken by Pennie Smith, shows Simonon smashing his bass guitar onstage at The Palladium in New York. It consciously echoes the design of Elvis Presley's debut album, with pink and green lettering replacing Elvis's original pink and green color scheme. Ray Lowry designed the typography. The image has become one of the most reproduced photographs in rock history.

How to Identify the First UK Pressing

Identifying a genuine first UK pressing requires attention to several details:

• Label: CBS Records, with the orange CBS "eye" logo on the labels. Catalogue number CBS CLASH 3.

• Matrix numbers: Check the dead wax (the smooth area between the last groove and the label). First pressings have specific matrix etchings. Look for hand-etched matrix numbers ending in "-1" or "-1A" on each side.

• Inner sleeves: The first pressing came with two plain white paper inner sleeves (not printed). Later pressings switched to printed inner sleeves with CBS advertising.

• Sticker: Some first pressing copies have a removable sticker on the shrink wrap reading "18 Track Double Album, CBS CLASH 3, \u00a35 R.R.P." The presence of this sticker on an intact shrink wrap confirms a very early copy.

• Cover: The Pennie Smith bass-smashing photograph printed in black and white with pink and green text. The back cover lists all 19 tracks.

• Pressing plant: Manufactured by CBS at their UK pressing facility.

Common confusions:

• US first pressings on Epic Records (catalogue number E2 36328) are a different release entirely, though also collectible.

• Later UK pressings with printed inner sleeves are worth less.

• The 2004 and 2013 reissues are widely available and worth $20-$40.

Value by Condition

Good to Very Good (G+ to VG): Surface noise, visible wear, possibly some cover damage. First UK pressings in this condition sell for $15 to $60. At this price, you are buying the music and the history, not a collector's piece.

Very Good Plus (VG+): Light surface marks that may produce occasional ticks during quiet passages. Cover shows light wear but no splits or writing. This is the sweet spot for most collectors, selling between $60 and $150.

Near Mint (NM): Record plays with minimal to no surface noise. Cover is crisp with sharp edges and no ring wear. Original inner sleeves present. First UK pressings in this condition sell between $200 and $500. Copies with the original promotional sticker intact on shrink wrap can push above $500.

Mint/Sealed: Extremely rare for a 1979 release. A sealed first pressing with the CBS sticker would be a four-figure record. Very few verified examples exist.

Condition factors that matter most:

• Vinyl condition trumps cover condition for value.

• Original inner sleeves add 10-20% over copies with replacement sleeves.

• The promotional sticker, when present and intact, is a significant premium indicator.

• Ring wear on the cover (circular impression from the record inside) is common and drops a VG+ cover to VG.

Known Variations

• UK First Pressing (CBS CLASH 3): The most collectible version. White inner sleeves, orange CBS labels.

• UK Later Pressing: Printed inner sleeves with CBS catalog advertising. Worth 30-50% less than first pressing.

• US First Pressing (Epic E2 36328): Collectible in its own right but typically sells for less than the UK pressing. Notable for the inclusion of "Train in Vain" on the printed tracklist (the UK first pressing lists it only on the label).

• Canadian Pressing: Similar to US pressing but on the CBS label. Less collected.

• Japanese Pressing (25AP 1703-4): Includes OBI strip. Japanese pressings are prized for vinyl quality and can match UK pressing prices when the OBI is intact.

Authentication and Fakes

Counterfeit first pressings of London Calling are uncommon, but misidentified later pressings are frequent:

• Check the inner sleeves: The quickest test. If the inner sleeves have printed CBS advertising, it is not a first pressing.

• Check the matrix numbers: First pressing matrix numbers are distinctive. Compare yours to documented examples on Discogs.

• Vinyl weight and quality: Original 1979 pressings have a specific weight and feel. Reissues, especially the 2004 version, use heavier 180-gram vinyl that feels different in hand.

• Professional grading: Vinyl record grading services like VG Grading are available but less established than coin or card grading. Most vinyl transactions rely on honest self-grading using the Goldmine standard.

Where to Sell

• Discogs: The dominant marketplace for vinyl records. Seller fees are approximately 8%. First UK pressings sell steadily on Discogs.

• eBay: Good for reaching a broad audience. Fees run about 13%. Best for copies in VG+ or better with good photographs.

• Local record shops: Many independent shops buy collections. Expect 30% to 50% of retail value for individual records.

• Record fairs: Face-to-face sales at record fairs can bring strong prices, especially for well-documented first pressings.

Not sure about the condition of yours? Upload a photo to Curio Comp for a quick estimate.

Explore More

London Calling is one of those albums that gets better every time you play it. The first UK pressing puts you as close to the original moment as vinyl can get. Whether your copy is a well-loved VG with decades of play or a pristine NM that survived the decades in a sleeve, it is worth knowing what you have.

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