The points of issue
First edition published 1968 by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York. The true first printing states First Edition on the copyright page. The fifth and final volume of the Chronicles of Prydain. Pictorial cloth with a pictorial dust jacket; first-state jacket precedes the Newbery seal.
Is this the true first?
United States true first. Awarded the Newbery Medal in 1969, so first-printing jackets predate the seal.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Holt printings drop or alter the First Edition statement. Book-club editions lack a printed jacket price; post-award jackets add the Newbery seal. The earlier four Prydain volumes are separate books; only The High King won the Medal.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The High King a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition published 1968 by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York. The true first printing states First Edition on the copyright page. The fifth and final volume of the Chronicles of Prydain. Pictorial cloth with a pictorial dust jacket; first-state jacket precedes the Newbery seal.
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. United States true first. Awarded the Newbery Medal in 1969, so first-printing jackets predate the seal.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Holt printings drop or alter the First Edition statement. Book-club editions lack a printed jacket price; post-award jackets add the Newbery seal. The earlier four Prydain volumes are separate books; only The High King won the Medal.
I have a first edition of The High 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.