The points of issue
Harcourt, Brace and Company imprint, copyright 1943. The first printing is identified by a printer's code on the copyright page (a single capital letter sequence beginning with the earliest letter, used by Harcourt at this period), not by a 'First Edition' statement. First-issue dust jacket carries no Caldecott seal (the medal was awarded in 1944) and bears a wartime war-bond advertisement on the rear jacket flap.
Is this the true first?
The US true first is the 1943 Harcourt, Brace issue. A later edition was re-illustrated by Marc Simont (1990); that is a separate 'first thus' and is not the medal-winning first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings add the Caldecott medallion to the jacket. The Simont-illustrated edition is distinguishable by the different illustrator credit. Do not rely on a 'First Edition' statement to identify this title, as the original does not carry one.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Many Moons a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Harcourt, Brace and Company imprint, copyright 1943. The first printing is identified by a printer's code on the copyright page (a single capital letter sequence beginning with the earliest letter, used by Harcourt at this period), not by a 'First Edition' statement. First-issue dust jacket carries no Caldecott seal (the medal was awarded in 1944) and bears a wartime war-bond advertisement on the rear jacket flap.
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 US true first is the 1943 Harcourt, Brace issue. A later edition was re-illustrated by Marc Simont (1990); that is a separate 'first thus' and is not the medal-winning first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings add the Caldecott medallion to the jacket. The Simont-illustrated edition is distinguishable by the different illustrator credit. Do not rely on a 'First Edition' statement to identify this title, as the original does not carry one.
I have a first edition of Many Moons — 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.