The points of issue
'First Published in 1986' on the copyright page with the full number line '1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 86 87 88 89' (Viking style). Dust jacket priced the printed price. Issued by Viking (not Doubleday, so no gutter code). First state has the printed price and the complete number line beginning with 1.
Is this the true first?
US Viking 1986 true first. UK Hodder & Stoughton (1986) is first British. Trade first identified by the number line including '1' and the year codes.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
BCE: smaller trim, no price on jacket, blind-stamp dot/indentation on rear board, cheaper boards. Book-of-the-Month copies lack the '1' in the number sequence and the printed jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of It a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: 'First Published in 1986' on the copyright page with the full number line '1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 86 87 88 89' (Viking style). Dust jacket priced the printed price. Issued by Viking (not Doubleday, so no gutter code). First state has the printed price and the complete number line beginning with 1.
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 Viking 1986 true first. UK Hodder & Stoughton (1986) is first British. Trade first identified by the number line including '1' and the year codes.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
BCE: smaller trim, no price on jacket, blind-stamp dot/indentation on rear board, cheaper boards. Book-of-the-Month copies lack the '1' in the number sequence and the printed jacket price.
I have a first edition of It — 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.