Trade Edition First Printing Identifier: No title list on the back cover.
Other Trade Edition First Printing Traits:
- Matte cover finish
- Blue graveyard endpapers
- No ISBN
Notes: 1.) It's much more difficult to acquire titles #3 or #4 with no list on the back cover than it is for titles #1 or #2.
2.) Copies of #3 and #4 listing to #4 on the back cover are later printings, NOT First Printings as often implied by on-line dealers.
Random House First Paperback Edition
"Marchesi Cover"
First Printed: 1978
Cover Art: Stephen Marchesi
Internal Illustrations: Harry Kane
ISBN: 0-394-83768-1
First Printing Identifier: 1234567890 numberline on the copyright page.
Notes: There were 8 Printings of this title with the Marchesi cover art in this edition. With the 9th Printing, below, the new Adragna cover art was used.
"Hitchcock Cover"
First Printed: circa 1982 (9th Printing)
Cover Art: Robert Adragna
Internal Illustrations: Harry Kane
ISBN: 0-394-83768-1 (Same as Marchesi Cover)
First Printing Identifier: 90 numberline on the copyright page.
Notes: 9th printings list to "Wandering Cave Man" and 10th printings list to "Missing Mermaid". Copies which list to "Two-Toed Pigeon" do not have a number line on the copyright page and these are assumed to be 11th printings.
Scholastic Book Services Paperback Edition
First Printed: January 1979
Cover Art: Harry Kane
Internal Illustrations: None
ID#: TK 4510
First Printing Identifier: 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 numberline on the copyright page.
Random House Revised Paperback Edition
"Keyhole Cover"
First Printed: 1985
Cover Art: Robert Adragna
Internal Illustrations: None
ISBN: 0-394-86403-4
First Printing Identifier: 1234567890 numberline on the copyright page.
Random House Latest Paperback Issue
"Dodge Cover"
First Printed: 1998
Cover Art: Bill Dodge
Internal Illustrations: None
ISBN: 0-394-86403-4
First Printing Identifier: 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 numberline on the copyright page.
Weekly Reader Books Hardbound Edition
"Just For Boys"
First Printed: circa 1989
Cover Art: Robert Adragna
Internal Illustrations: None
ISBN: Refers to the ISBN for the Random House Revised Paperback Edition on the copyright page: 0-394-86403
First Printing Identifier: 1234567890 numberline on the copyright page.
Notes:
1.) While the text of this Edition is the same as the Random House Revised Paperback Edition, new printing plates were used (new type-face) and Hector Sebastian's introduction was not included in this book.
2.) Interestingly, the words "The Three Investigators" do not appear on the spine or front cover of this Edition!
Notes:
1.) Confusion Alert! This title is a continuation of the Revised "Keyhole" Paperback Edition but with new cover art and a new set of printings. The ISBN's are the same and, except for the introduction chapter, the same printing plates were utilized.
2.) Confusion Alert! Random House also issued a hardbound library edition with the Dodge Covers. The ISBN found inside the hardbound edition is the same as that found in the paperback edition but the ISBN on the back cover is different: 0-613-08416-0
