The points of issue
First edition, first printing: Addison-Wesley, red cloth (commemorative/hardcover sets) — the desirable first issues carry the early printing statements. Volume I is 1963, Volume II 1964, Volume III 1965; a true first set has each volume in its respective first printing. Early printings note the Caltech lecture origin; check each volume's copyright page individually.
Is this the true first?
True first is the Addison-Wesley US edition; sets must be assembled with each volume in first printing (commonly mismatched). The much later 'Definitive Edition' (2005) and 'New Millennium Edition' are corrected reprints, not firsts. Three-volume first-printing sets in the original slipcase/binding are scarce.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue of note; the main pitfall is mixed-printing sets and confusing later corrected editions (Definitive/Millennium) with the 1963–65 firsts. Verify printing on each volume separately.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Feynman Lectures on Physics (3 vols.) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first printing: Addison-Wesley, red cloth (commemorative/hardcover sets) — the desirable first issues carry the early printing statements. Volume I is 1963, Volume II 1964, Volume III 1965; a true first set has each volume in its respective first printing. Early printings note the Caltech lecture origin; check each volume's copyright page individually.
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. True first is the Addison-Wesley US edition; sets must be assembled with each volume in first printing (commonly mismatched). The much later 'Definitive Edition' (2005) and 'New Millennium Edition' are corrected reprints, not firsts. Three-volume first-printing sets in the original slipcase/binding
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue of note; the main pitfall is mixed-printing sets and confusing later corrected editions (Definitive/Millennium) with the 1963–65 firsts. Verify printing on each volume separately.
I have a first edition of The Feynman Lectures on Physics (3 vols.) — 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.