The points of issue
First printing identified by the number line on the copyright page; original unclipped dust jacket; title stamped in gold on spine and front board.
Is this the true first?
True first trade edition is the 1980 Delacorte Press / Seymour Lawrence hardcover. A separate signed, limited edition containing only twenty of the pieces was issued earlier by Targ Editions (1979); that is a distinct prior book, not a limited issue of the 1980 Delacorte first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Tokyo-Montana Express a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing identified by the number line on the copyright page; original unclipped dust jacket; title stamped in gold on spine and front board.
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. True first trade edition is the 1980 Delacorte Press / Seymour Lawrence hardcover. A separate signed, limited edition containing only twenty of the pieces was issued earlier by Targ Editions (1979); that is a distinct prior book, not a limited issue of the 1980 Delacorte first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
None notable.
I have a first edition of The Tokyo-Montana 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.