The points of issue
Discworld 34; City Watch. UK Doubleday 2005; number line to 1. The US Harper first printing states First Edition with a full number line and was issued about three weeks before the UK edition.
Is this the true first?
The US Harper edition (13 September 2005) is technically the true first: it preceded the UK Doubleday (1 October 2005) by about three weeks to coincide with a US signing tour. The UK Doubleday is the first UK edition and remains widely collected.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings drop the 1 from the number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Thud! a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Discworld 34; City Watch. UK Doubleday 2005; number line to 1. The US Harper first printing states First Edition with a full number line and was issued about three weeks before the UK edition.
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 US Harper edition (13 September 2005) is technically the true first: it preceded the UK Doubleday (1 October 2005) by about three weeks to coincide with a US signing tour. The UK Doubleday is the first UK edition and remains widely collected.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings drop the 1 from the number line.
I have a first edition of Thud! — 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.