The points of issue
First printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with no later-printing line. Pictorial hardcover boards. First-state jacket carries the original printed price and does NOT bear the gold Newbery Medal seal. Concludes the Prydain Chronicles.
Is this the true first?
US Holt, Rinehart and Winston 1968 is the true first. Winner of the 1969 Newbery Medal, so a jacket bearing the seal is a later (post-award) state, not the first issue.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings drop the 'First Edition' statement. Book-club editions add the Newbery seal to the jacket, are typically unpriced, and may carry a blind-stamped board.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The High King (The Chronicles of Prydain, Book 5) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with no later-printing line. Pictorial hardcover boards. First-state jacket carries the original printed price and does NOT bear the gold Newbery Medal seal. Concludes the Prydain Chronicles.
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 Holt, Rinehart and Winston 1968 is the true first. Winner of the 1969 Newbery Medal, so a jacket bearing the seal is a later (post-award) state, not the first issue.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings drop the 'First Edition' statement. Book-club editions add the Newbery seal to the jacket, are typically unpriced, and may carry a blind-stamped board.
I have a first edition of The High King (The Chronicles of Prydain, Book 5) — 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.