The points of issue
This earlier-era Putnam title is identified from the dust jacket rather than a copyright-page number line: the lower front jacket flap bears the date code "8303," the front flap carries the printed retail price, and the rear jacket shows the ISBN 0-399-12655-4 in a white rectangle. A copyright-page number line is not the identifying point for this 1983 printing.
Is this the true first?
US Putnam is the true first; W.H. Allen issued the UK first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book club edition has an unpriced jacket lacking the '8303' date code, a blind gutter-code stamp, and lighter boards, though the copyright-page imprint line can read identically — rely on the jacket date code and price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Phantoms a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: This earlier-era Putnam title is identified from the dust jacket rather than a copyright-page number line: the lower front jacket flap bears the date code "8303," the front flap carries the printed retail price, and the rear jacket shows the ISBN 0-399-12655-4 in a white rectangle. A copyright-page number line is not the identifying point for this 1983 printing.
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 Putnam is the true first; W.H. Allen issued the UK first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The book club edition has an unpriced jacket lacking the '8303' date code, a blind gutter-code stamp, and lighter boards, though the copyright-page imprint line can read identically — rely on the jacket date code and price.
I have a first edition of Phantoms — 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.