IT
(1,138 pages - © September 15th, 1986)

Publisher: Viking First Edition : 800,000

First edition cover (click for copyright page)

First edition identification video

• A first edition of 800,000 copies. Issued with a dustjacket and price of $22.95. "First published in 1986 by Viking Penguin Inc." should be on the copyright page. Grey endpapers. Current Value = $50-$100
  

Current value last adjusted August 2023

At $22.95 "It" was the most expensive Viking publication to date. Viking lowered it's price on Stephen King's next book to $18.95 and didn't go back up to $22.95 until four years later with the release of Four Past Midnight

A fellow collector emailed the following information about the breakdown of the 800,000 copy 1st edition print run that he received from a former employee of Viking. (Thank you Steve H. for the info!)

IT was the first time a publisher ever underestimated the number of books they would need to satisfy the demand. They really thought 400,000 would accommodate the supply and they weren't prepared for the bookseller market to demand more copies. IT, more than any other Stephen King novel, changed the number of first printing editions that Viking produced

400,000 initial 1st print run:
There will be nothing stated on the CP page under the Garamond 3 line. This run was produced the week of August 18, 1986

100,000 combined 2nd and 3rd print run:
Second Printing - August 1986 on the copyright page under the Garamond 3 line, to indicate this was produced the week of August 25, 1986
Third Printing - September 1986 on the copyright page under the Garamond 3 line, to indicate this was produced the week of September 1, 1986

300,000 combined 4th and 5th print run:
Fourth Printing - September 1986 on the copyright page under the Garamond 3 line, to indicate this was produced the week of September 8, 1986
Fifth Printing - September 1986 on the copyright page under the Garamond 3 line, to indicate this was produced the week of September 15, 1986 (and the actual week of publication)

All five of these states were released simultaneously on the date of publication. They are all considered First Editions. The First Printing is the largest printing. The Second and Third stated printings are the smallest printings. The fourth and fifth printings are not as common as the unstated first printing, but are more common than the second and third printings.

Since most collectors are interested in 1st edition / 1st printings the 400,000 run would generally be considered the most collectible even if it's not the rarest.


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