# Is "Clans of the Alphane Moon" by Philip K. Dick a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Clans of the Alphane Moon by Philip K. Dick (Ace, 1964) is identified by: Ace paperback original, a single-title volume (not an Ace Double), catalog number F-309, with the printed price cover price. US Ace paperback original (F-309, 1964) is the true first; no prior hardcover edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Ace paperback original, a single-title volume (not an Ace Double), catalog number F-309, with the printed price cover price
- Cover art by Ed Valigursky and interior illustrations by Jack Gaughan
- Expanded from Dick's 1954 short story 'Shell Game.'
- Publisher imprint reads Ace
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Philip K. Dick |
| Publisher | Ace |
| Year | 1964 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Ace paperback original, a single-title volume (not an Ace Double), catalog number F-309, with the printed price cover price |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Ace paperback original, a single-title volume (not an Ace Double), catalog number F-309, with the printed price cover price. Cover art by Ed Valigursky and interior illustrations by Jack Gaughan. Expanded from Dick's 1954 short story 'Shell Game.'

## Is this the true first?
US Ace paperback original (F-309, 1964) is the true first; no prior hardcover edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition; identify the first by the F-309 catalog number, the printed price cover price, and the Valigursky cover art.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Clans of the Alphane Moon* by Philip K. Dick a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/clans-of-the-alphane-moon
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.