The points of issue
Trade first: FSG 'First printing, 1980' on the copyright page; orange cloth boards stamped in gilt, tan endpapers, 360 pages; first-issue jacket. A separate signed limited issue of 450 copies (blue cloth, in a publisher's slipcase) was signed at the colophon.
Is this the true first?
US Farrar, Straus & Giroux is the true first; a signed limited issue of 450 copies was published alongside the trade first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The trade first states 'First printing, 1980'; the book-club edition lacks the flap price and shows a gutter/blind code.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Second Coming a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Trade first: FSG 'First printing, 1980' on the copyright page; orange cloth boards stamped in gilt, tan endpapers, 360 pages; first-issue jacket. A separate signed limited issue of 450 copies (blue cloth, in a publisher's slipcase) was signed at the colophon.
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 Farrar, Straus & Giroux is the true first; a signed limited issue of 450 copies was published alongside the trade first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The trade first states 'First printing, 1980'; the book-club edition lacks the flap price and shows a gutter/blind code.
I have a first edition of The Second Coming — 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.