The points of issue
Everest House first printing is identified by the code RRD281 on the copyright page; there is no number line. Original priced dust jacket. King's non-fiction survey of the horror genre. A signed limited edition of 250 numbered copies plus 15 lettered copies, issued in a slipcase without dust jacket, was published alongside the trade edition.
Is this the true first?
US Everest House edition is the true first; the UK Macdonald edition follows. The 250-copy signed limited is the collectible signed issue.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club edition identifiable by club markings and lack of the RRD281 first-printing code.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Danse Macabre a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Everest House first printing is identified by the code RRD281 on the copyright page; there is no number line. Original priced dust jacket. King's non-fiction survey of the horror genre. A signed limited edition of 250 numbered copies plus 15 lettered copies, issued in a slipcase without dust jacket, was published alongside the trade edition.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Everest House edition is the true first; the UK Macdonald edition follows. The 250-copy signed limited is the collectible signed issue.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book club edition identifiable by club markings and lack of the RRD281 first-printing code.
I have a first edition of Danse Macabre — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.