The points of issue
'FIRST PRINTING' stated on the copyright page with the Simon & Schuster imprint and no later printings. Dust jacket priced the printed price. First state has the stated First Printing and the original unclipped jacket.
Is this the true first?
US Simon & Schuster 1962 true first. UK Rupert Hart-Davis (1963) is first British. A signed/limited Gauntlet edition exists much later. First state told by the stated First Printing and the printed price jacket.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the 'First Printing' statement, have the rear-board blind-stamp, and no jacket price. Stated 'First Printing' = trade first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Something Wicked This Way Comes a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: 'FIRST PRINTING' stated on the copyright page with the Simon & Schuster imprint and no later printings. Dust jacket priced the printed price. First state has the stated First Printing and the original unclipped jacket.
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 Simon & Schuster 1962 true first. UK Rupert Hart-Davis (1963) is first British. A signed/limited Gauntlet edition exists much later. First state told by the stated First Printing and the printed price jacket.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions lack the 'First Printing' statement, have the rear-board blind-stamp, and no jacket price. Stated 'First Printing' = trade first.
I have a first edition of Something Wicked This Way Comes — 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.