The points of issue
True first is the US Simon & Schuster edition of 1968, issued about a month ahead of the UK Herbert Jenkins edition of 1968. Same title in both markets, so precedence rests on the US date and the Simon & Schuster First Printing copyright-page wording.
Is this the true first?
US Simon & Schuster (1968) is the true first, preceding the UK Herbert Jenkins edition of the same year.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue is a point of confusion for this title.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Do Butlers Burgle Banks? a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the US Simon & Schuster edition of 1968, issued about a month ahead of the UK Herbert Jenkins edition of 1968. Same title in both markets, so precedence rests on the US date and the Simon & Schuster First Printing copyright-page wording.
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 Simon & Schuster (1968) is the true first, preceding the UK Herbert Jenkins edition of the same year.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue is a point of confusion for this title.
I have a first edition of Do Butlers Burgle Banks? — 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.