The points of issue
US Ballantine Books trade paperback original, 1989, identified by the first-printing statement and full number line on the copyright page. There was no US hardcover first edition.
Is this the true first?
The 1989 Ballantine US trade paperback is the true first edition in the US; there was no US hardcover. A UK hardcover edition was issued separately. Collectors sometimes wrongly seek a US hardcover first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No US book-club edition supersedes it; later printings add higher printing numbers and remove the first-printing statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Mummy, or Ramses the Damned a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US Ballantine Books trade paperback original, 1989, identified by the first-printing statement and full number line on the copyright page. There was no US hardcover first edition.
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 1989 Ballantine US trade paperback is the true first edition in the US; there was no US hardcover. A UK hardcover edition was issued separately. Collectors sometimes wrongly seek a US hardcover first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No US book-club edition supersedes it; later printings add higher printing numbers and remove the first-printing statement.
I have a first edition of The Mummy, or Ramses the Damned — 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.