The points of issue
Trade first co-published by Viking and Putnam in 1984, with a priced jacket and a number line. The collectible deluxe issue is the Donald M. Grant signed/limited (Boston, 1984): 1,200 numbered copies in a two-volume slipcased set, cream buckram bindings, signed by both King and Straub on the limitation page.
Is this the true first?
The Viking/Putnam trade is the true first and preceded the Grant deluxe, which was issued afterward. Both bylines must be present. No lettered edition of the Grant set exists; it is numbered only.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book-club edition of the trade lacks the jacket price and carries a rear-board blind-stamp gutter code. There is no book-club edition of the Grant limited.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Talisman a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Trade first co-published by Viking and Putnam in 1984, with a priced jacket and a number line. The collectible deluxe issue is the Donald M. Grant signed/limited (Boston, 1984): 1,200 numbered copies in a two-volume slipcased set, cream buckram bindings, signed by both King and Straub on the limitation page.
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 Viking/Putnam trade is the true first and preceded the Grant deluxe, which was issued afterward. Both bylines must be present. No lettered edition of the Grant set exists; it is numbered only.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The book-club edition of the trade lacks the jacket price and carries a rear-board blind-stamp gutter code. There is no book-club edition of the Grant limited.
I have a first edition of The Talisman — 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.