# Is "Serious Money" by Caryl Churchill a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Serious Money by Caryl Churchill (Methuen, 1987) is identified by: Methuen, London, 1987, in the Royal Court Writers series; issued in card wrappers (paperback original), copyright page stating 'First published in 1987 by Methuen' with no later-printing line. UK Methuen 1987 is the true first; a revised text followed after the West End transfer, so confirm the first-printing state via the copyright page.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Methuen, London, 1987, in the Royal Court Writers series; issued in card wrappers (paperback original), copyright page stating 'First published in 1987 by Methuen' with no later-printing line
- Published for the first performances at the Royal Court Theatre in 1987
- Publisher imprint reads Methuen
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Caryl Churchill |
| Publisher | Methuen |
| Year | 1987 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Methuen, London, 1987, in the Royal Court Writers series; issued in card wrappers (paperback original), copyright page stating 'First… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Methuen, London, 1987, in the Royal Court Writers series; issued in card wrappers (paperback original), copyright page stating 'First published in 1987 by Methuen' with no later-printing line. Published for the first performances at the Royal Court Theatre in 1987.

## Is this the true first?
UK Methuen 1987 is the true first; a revised text followed after the West End transfer, so confirm the first-printing state via the copyright page.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Revised editions, the Methuen Student Edition, and the 'Churchill Plays: Two' collected volume are later. No book-club issue.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Serious Money* by Caryl Churchill a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/serious-money
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.