# Is "The Shining" by Stephen King a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Shining by Stephen King (Doubleday, 1977) is identified by: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page AND the gutter code 'R49' on the bottom inside corner of page 447. US Doubleday 1977 true first (~25,000 copies).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page AND the gutter code 'R49' on the bottom inside corner of page 447
- Dust jacket with its printed price
- First-issue jacket carries the printed price; the rear panel/flap reflects 1977 King titles only
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Stephen King |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
| Year | 1977 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page AND the gutter code 'R49' on the bottom inside corner of page 447 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
'First Edition' stated on the copyright page AND the gutter code 'R49' on the bottom inside corner of page 447. Dust jacket with its printed price. First-issue jacket carries the printed price; the rear panel/flap reflects 1977 King titles only.

## Is this the true first?
US Doubleday 1977 true first (~25,000 copies). UK New English Library (1977) is first British. The decisive trade-first point is the 'R49' gutter code combined with the stated 'First Edition' and the printed price jacket.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the 'R49' gutter code, have the blind-stamp/indentation on the rear board, and the jacket has no printed price. No gutter code = book club, regardless of any 'First Edition' wording.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Shining* by Stephen King a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-shining
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.