The points of issue
First edition: Victor Gollancz, London, 1989 (published 9 November 1989), copyright page indicating the first printing, Josh Kirby jacket art, jacket priced in pounds. The first City Watch Discworld novel.
Is this the true first?
The UK Gollancz hardcover of 1989 is the world first; US and Corgi paperback editions follow.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Corgi paperbacks are common. Book Club Associates (BCA) hardcovers carry no printed jacket price and bear book-club markings.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Guards! Guards! a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition: Victor Gollancz, London, 1989 (published 9 November 1989), copyright page indicating the first printing, Josh Kirby jacket art, jacket priced in pounds. The first City Watch Discworld novel.
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. The UK Gollancz hardcover of 1989 is the world first; US and Corgi paperback editions follow.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Corgi paperbacks are common. Book Club Associates (BCA) hardcovers carry no printed jacket price and bear book-club markings.
I have a first edition of Guards! Guards! — 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.