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

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Stand by Stephen King (Doubleday, 1978) is identified by: 'First Edition' stated on copyright page with Doubleday gutter code 'T39' on the last text page. US Doubleday 1978 true first of the original text.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 'First Edition' stated on copyright page with Doubleday gutter code 'T39' on the last text page
- Dust jacket with its printed price
- This is the original (abridged) text; first-issue jacket has the printed price
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Stephen King |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
| Year | 1978 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | 'First Edition' stated on copyright page with Doubleday gutter code 'T39' on the last text page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
'First Edition' stated on copyright page with Doubleday gutter code 'T39' on the last text page. Dust jacket with its printed price. This is the original (abridged) text; first-issue jacket has the printed price.

## Is this the true first?
US Doubleday 1978 true first of the original text. The 'Complete & Uncut Edition' (Doubleday, 1990) is a textually expanded, separate edition — not a reprint of the 1978 text — with its own first-edition points. Collectors distinguish the 1978 abridged first from the 1990 uncut.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club 1978 copies lack the 'T39' gutter code and the jacket price, with rear-board blind-stamp. Gutter code present = trade first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Stand* by Stephen King a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-stand
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.