Where to look
Hold the record by its edges and label. Under soft, angled light, slowly rotate it to inspect the smooth runout area on each side. Do not touch or mark the grooves. A magnifier may help with faint symbols.
How to transcribe the code
- Record each side separately, preserving letters, numbers, punctuation and spaces.
- Note what is stamped versus handwritten, including crossed-out characters and symbols.
- Photograph the runout in several sections if one image cannot capture it.
- Also photograph the label, sleeve, barcode and catalogue number.
What a code can — and cannot — tell you
Depending on the label and plant, markings may reference a master, side, cut, engineer or manufacturing job. There is no universal decoder. A suffix such as A1 does not, by itself, prove a first pressing.
This is a made-up code. VR-001 could be an identifier and A could mark a side, but their meaning depends on the release. It cannot establish a plant, date or value.
Compare the whole release
Search a release database using the exact markings, then compare country, label layout, catalogue number and packaging. Some releases have several runout variants. Missing database information or similar codes can make identification uncertain.
Reference: Discogs: Barcodes & Identifiers. This guide offers an identification workflow, not authentication or valuation. Published by vinylrecord.in · Reviewed 10 September 2026.
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