The points of issue
First edition: Houghton Mifflin 1985; first-issue dust jacket WITHOUT the Caldecott Medal (won 1986), priced the printed price (some early at the printed price). Copyright page has the full number line ending in 1; jacket carries no medal seal.
Is this the true first?
US Houghton Mifflin is the true first. The pre-Caldecott jacket (no gold medal) plus the complete number line ending in 1 mark the true first; relaunch jackets added the medal after 1986.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions add the Caldecott Medal, lack the jacket price, are smaller, and carry a board blind-stamp; later printings advance the number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Polar Express a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition: Houghton Mifflin 1985; first-issue dust jacket WITHOUT the Caldecott Medal (won 1986), priced the printed price (some early at the printed price). Copyright page has the full number line ending in 1; jacket carries no medal 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. US Houghton Mifflin is the true first. The pre-Caldecott jacket (no gold medal) plus the complete number line ending in 1 mark the true first; relaunch jackets added the medal after 1986.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions add the Caldecott Medal, lack the jacket price, are smaller, and carry a board blind-stamp; later printings advance the number line.
I have a first edition of The Polar Express — 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.