The points of issue
The US Avon Books hardcover (November 1998) is the true first. The first printing carries a stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a full number line counting down to 1, and the unclipped jacket shows the printed first-issue price. Dust-jacket photograph by J. K. Potter. Gaiman's first major solo story collection.
Is this the true first?
The US Avon hardcover precedes the UK Headline edition (1999). The Headline edition is later and expanded, adding several stories not in the US first, so it is a separate, subsequent text rather than the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No prominent book-club edition for the first printing; later printings advance the number line and drop the stated 'First Edition.' The expanded UK Headline edition is not the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Smoke and Mirrors a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The US Avon Books hardcover (November 1998) is the true first. The first printing carries a stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a full number line counting down to 1, and the unclipped jacket shows the printed first-issue price. Dust-jacket photograph by J. K. Potter. Gaiman's first major solo story collection.
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 Avon hardcover precedes the UK Headline edition (1999). The Headline edition is later and expanded, adding several stories not in the US first, so it is a separate, subsequent text rather than the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No prominent book-club edition for the first printing; later printings advance the number line and drop the stated 'First Edition.' The expanded UK Headline edition is not the first.
I have a first edition of Smoke and Mirrors — 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.