# Is "Skeleton Crew" by Stephen King a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Skeleton Crew by Stephen King (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1985) is identified by: Putnam trade first (June 1985) states "First Edition" on the copyright page with no further number line. The Putnam trade is the true first; the Scream/Press limited is the prized signed issue and contains an additional story not in the trade.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Putnam trade first (June 1985) states "First Edition" on the copyright page with no further number line
- The deluxe issue is the Scream/Press signed/limited (October 1985): 1,000 copies, illustrated by J.K. Potter, signed by both King and Potter on a dedication page, with a fold-out color poster laid in and a matching slipcase
- The Scream/Press edition also adds the story "The Revelations of 'Becka Paulson."
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Stephen King |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1985 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Putnam trade first (June 1985) states "First Edition" on the copyright page with no further number line |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Putnam trade first (June 1985) states "First Edition" on the copyright page with no further number line. The deluxe issue is the Scream/Press signed/limited (October 1985): 1,000 copies, illustrated by J.K. Potter, signed by both King and Potter on a dedication page, with a fold-out color poster laid in and a matching slipcase. The Scream/Press edition also adds the story "The Revelations of 'Becka Paulson."

## Is this the true first?
The Putnam trade is the true first; the Scream/Press limited is the prized signed issue and contains an additional story not in the trade.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book-club edition carries the Putnam imprint but lacks the jacket price, has a rear-board gutter-code blind stamp, and lighter boards. The Scream/Press limited is signed, numbered, and slipcased.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Skeleton Crew* by Stephen King a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/skeleton-crew
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.