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RCA Records Pressing Plant, Indianapolis

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Opened on August 5, 1939, this was the largest of RCA Victor's U.S. record manufacturing plants, pressing vinyl records and capacitance electronic disc (CED) products. Production of CED VideoDiscs ceased June 27, 1986, vinyl production was phased out by the end of 1987, and the plant closed in January 1988. [b]Vinyl record pressing identification:[/b] • Serifed capital "I" (may look like "𝙸") stamp in runouts. • 2.75" (70mm) "deep groove" pressing ring through 1970; 1" (26mm) pressing ring 1968–1987. • The letter "R" printed on the labels of [l=A&M Records] releases, or the plant code "70" printed on the labels of [l=PolyGram] releases during the 1970s and 1980s, identifies RCA Indianapolis as the pressing plant. [b]Note:[/b] After this plant's closure, some titles pressed in Indianapolis had stampers shipped elsewhere for repressing; these can be identified by the struck-through "I" stamp, which can look like a "+" sign. Use the "Mastered At" LCCN role in these cases. [b]To identify 45 RPM records pressed at Indianapolis on RCA Victor labels[/b]: ▶ Double hyphen between "Monogram" & "Dog" (ie. Monogram=Dog), in upper-left copyright text at edge of labels. [b]To identify 78 RPM records[/b] pressed at Indianapolis between Fall 1939 and early 1954, note the following label details: ▶ Victor and Bluebird labels citing "[l=RCA Manufacturing Co., Inc.]," at bottom: Two concentric label arcs of unequal length = Indianapolis pressing. ▶ Victor, RCA Victor and Bluebird labels citing "[l=RCA Victor Division Of Radio Corporation Of America]" at bottom: Two concentric circles nearly touching the small RCA circle = Indianapolis pressing. • The plant's Color Nipper label pressings on 78rpm discs (introduced June 1954) featured the phrase "New Orthophonic High Fidelity” to the right of the spindle hole and showed no speed indicator "78 R.P.M." [b]General RCA mastering Information:[/b] Beginning in 1942, RCA pressings from all plants have four informational characters in the primary runouts. The system has been revised several times, but each of the first four characters stands for a different piece of information. (Please refer to [url=/forum/thread/694503?message_id=6931453#6931453]RCA Victor Master Serial Number Codes[/url] for an extensive and detailed explanation of the master serial numbers used in RCA's matrices.) • [b]1942-1954[/b]: First Character is the [i]decade[/i]; Second Character is the [i]year[/i]; Third Character is the [i]category[/i]; Fourth Character is the [i]size/speed/groove[/i]. Example: [i]A2BB[/i] = 1902, Bluebird, 10" - 78 RPM. • [b]1955-1962[/b]: First Character is the [i]year code[/i]; Second Character is the [i]numerical label description[/i]; Third Character is the [i]category[/i]; Fourth Character is the [i]size/speed/groove[/i]. Example: [i]F2CA[/i] = 1955, RCA Victor, Children's, 7" - 45 RPM. • [b]1963-1990s[/b]: First Character is the [i]year code[/i]; Second Character is the [i]label designation[/i]; Third Character is the [i]size/speed[/i]; Fourth Character is the [i]groove[/i]. Example: [i]RPRS[/i] = 1964, Popular, 12" 33⅓ RPM, Stereo.