The points of issue
US Atheneum first printing dated 1975 on the copyright page with no later-printing statement, illustrations by Michael Heslop, and a first-state jacket without the Newbery Medal seal retaining the original price to the front flap.
Is this the true first?
The Atheneum US edition was published in September 1975, preceding the Chatto & Windus UK edition of October 1975, making the US issue the true first. Fourth book in the Dark Is Rising sequence and winner of the 1976 Newbery Medal.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings and reprint jackets add the gold Newbery Medal seal. Book-club copies carry a blind-stamp and lack the original price on the jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Grey King a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US Atheneum first printing dated 1975 on the copyright page with no later-printing statement, illustrations by Michael Heslop, and a first-state jacket without the Newbery Medal seal retaining the original price to the front flap.
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 Atheneum US edition was published in September 1975, preceding the Chatto & Windus UK edition of October 1975, making the US issue the true first. Fourth book in the Dark Is Rising sequence and winner of the 1976 Newbery Medal.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings and reprint jackets add the gold Newbery Medal seal. Book-club copies carry a blind-stamp and lack the original price on the jacket.
I have a first edition of The Grey King — 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.