The points of issue
First impression of 3,250 copies, published 11 November 1954. The copyright page states First published in 1954 with no later impression notice, and the year appears on the title page. A signature mark 4 is present at the foot of the final gathering. The dust jacket shows a small nick in the right side of the r in Towers and is priced 21s net. The folding map is present.
Is this the true first?
The UK Allen & Unwin printing is the true first. The US Houghton Mifflin edition followed in 1955.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions add an impression notice on the copyright verso. Book club omnibus and boxed sets are not firsts.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Two Towers a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First impression of 3,250 copies, published 11 November 1954. The copyright page states First published in 1954 with no later impression notice, and the year appears on the title page. A signature mark 4 is present at the foot of the final gathering. The dust jacket shows a small nick in the right side of the r in Towers and is priced 21s net. The folding map is present.
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 UK Allen & Unwin printing is the true first. The US Houghton Mifflin edition followed in 1955.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions add an impression notice on the copyright verso. Book club omnibus and boxed sets are not firsts.
I have a first edition of The Two Towers — 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.