RUNOUT.
Vinyl & CD runout / matrix lookup
Lookup your vinyl or CD pressing from its matrix number.
Quickly lookup the value of your vinyl or CD by entering the matrix code, runout etching, serial / catalog number, or barcode.
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Enter a vinyl or CD matrix number or barcode above to reveal artwork, title, artist, year, label, catalog number, and value / sales statistics.
Decode the dead wax and matrix band.
Runout matrix etchings are the tiny characters stamped or hand-scribed into the blank space between a vinyl record's last groove and the label. They usually include the catalog number, side identifier (A/B), mastering stamps such as STERLING or MASTERDISK, and pressing-plant symbols like PR, SRC, or TML. On CDs, the same information lives in the mirror band — look for IFPI mastering codes (e.g., IFPI L422) and mould codes (e.g., IFPI 7501) around the hub.
Identifying these codes matters because the same album can be pressed dozens of times with different stampers, lacquers, and mastering engineers. A first pressing cut by a celebrated engineer can sound dramatically different — and be worth significantly more — than a later reissue from a different plant.
RUNOUT. reads your matrix code, runout etching, serial/catalog number, or barcode and matches it against Discogs data so you can pinpoint the exact pressing year, audio source, and current market value.