The points of issue
Naval Institute Press first, 1984. Issued by an academic/naval press (unusual for fiction); the true first carries the Naval Institute Press imprint with first-edition/printing indicia; dust jacket priced the printed price. The scarce true first has the NIP imprint, NOT Putnam/Berkley.
Is this the true first?
US Naval Institute Press 1984 is the true first — Clancy's debut. Because NIP was a small press, the first printing is scarce; later trade printings moved to commercial publishers. The NIP imprint is the controlling point.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club and later commercial editions (Putnam/Berkley) are NOT the first; any non-Naval-Institute-Press imprint is a reprint. BCE has rear-board blind stamp and no jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Hunt for Red October a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Naval Institute Press first, 1984. Issued by an academic/naval press (unusual for fiction); the true first carries the Naval Institute Press imprint with first-edition/printing indicia; dust jacket priced the printed price. The scarce true first has the NIP imprint, NOT Putnam/Berkley.
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 Naval Institute Press 1984 is the true first — Clancy's debut. Because NIP was a small press, the first printing is scarce; later trade printings moved to commercial publishers. The NIP imprint is the controlling point.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book club and later commercial editions (Putnam/Berkley) are NOT the first; any non-Naval-Institute-Press imprint is a reprint. BCE has rear-board blind stamp and no jacket price.
I have a first edition of The Hunt for Red October — 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.