The points of issue
Fix-up of the Haviland Tuf stories. The first edition is the US Baen hardcover, February 1986, in dust jacket, with first edition/first printing stated; it was not a paperback original. Baen paperback printings followed.
Is this the true first?
US Baen hardcover true first; the later Baen mass-market paperback and the book-club hardcover are not firsts.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The SFBC hardcover is a club edition, not the trade first; club copies lack the trade jacket price and printing line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Tuf Voyaging a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Fix-up of the Haviland Tuf stories. The first edition is the US Baen hardcover, February 1986, in dust jacket, with first edition/first printing stated; it was not a paperback original. Baen paperback printings followed.
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. US Baen hardcover true first; the later Baen mass-market paperback and the book-club hardcover are not firsts.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The SFBC hardcover is a club edition, not the trade first; club copies lack the trade jacket price and printing line.
I have a first edition of Tuf Voyaging — 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.