Strat is basically right on TW printings.  Here's a quick guide that might be a little easier to digest:

1st - lettering on back and sides is brown, back doesn't say second edition near the top, no white award circle on front, brown maps, contains two players' guides, personalities cover is purple, largest TW logo on box sides is on left, books have cardstock covers

2nd - lettering on back and sides is brown, back says second edition near the top, no white award circle on front, brown maps, contains one players' guide, personalities cover is purple, largest TW logo on box sides is on left, books have cardstock covers

3rd - lettering on back and sides is brown, back says second edition near the top, white award circle on front, black maps, contains one players' guide, personalities cover is red, largest TW logo on box sides is on right (or you can think of it as the cover art being printed upside down), books have cardstock covers

4th - lettering on back and sides is black, back says second edition near the top, white award circle on front, black maps, contains one players' guide, personalities cover is blue, largest TW logo on box sides is on left, books have paper covers

Unfortunately there are still differences between the prints that I have, and what Hist. typed above. Namely my 3rd print box has black lettering on the sides and back, not brown. Also the Large Thieves World logo is on the left side, not the right. Lastly, from the outside of the box alone, the distinctions between a 3rd & 4th print are that in the 4th print the picture of Lythande on the back is blue, and in the bottom lower right is an inset box with a barcode.

Execpt Tome of Treasures, I'm not sure there is any place with printing infos.
Tome of Treasures :: View Forum - Fantasy Games Unlimited (FGU)

I have 2 prints of Aftermath (the Phoenix Games "transition" copy and the normal one), 2 of Space Opera (different covers), 2 of Gangbusters (the sole difference is the color of the box bottom, black or white), but I am sure the other boxed sets could have some variations too. Not clear variations, only small ones.

lokiwookie wrote in Interesting Non-TSR Items Formerly on eBay:Execpt Tome of Treasures, I'm not sure there is any place with printing infos.
Tome of Treasures :: View Forum - Fantasy Games Unlimited (FGU)

I have 2 prints of Aftermath (the Phoenix Games "transition" copy and the normal one), 2 of Space Opera (different covers), 2 of Gangbusters (the sole difference is the color of the box bottom, black or white), but I am sure the other boxed sets could have some variations too. Not clear variations, only small ones.

I like the FGU stuff too and was working on putting together a list of printings but would have to go through some old harddrives to see if I can find it - I seem to think there are 3 printings of the Aftermath (that are fairly easy to identify), Space Opera has 2 different covers and again I think 2 variations on the 1st cover.  Swordbearer is another one that comes to mind with a couple different prints.

There are 2 different prints of the Chivalry & Sorcery and a couple prints of Chevalier (original and an anniversary edition).

I haven't noticed different printings of the modules (except for Aftermath) for these games but I'm sure they were printed more than once so might also have variations.

A quick look on the shelf:

Top Secret has a Wizard logo and TSR step logo box (and then Top Secret SI)
Gangbusters has 2 prints of the boxed set (noticeable difference in colour of product code) and also a compiled book version
Boot Hill has 2 digest sized prints, Wizard logo box, woodgrain box, compiled book - I also thinking there must be 1 or 2 variations of the Wizard logo box
2 different version of Buck Rogers

For TSR Games
2 prints of Snits
2 of Camelot
3 of Lankhmar
3 of War of Wizards (plus a pre-TSR version)
3 or so of Tekumel
2 of Fight in the Skies
2 of 1099
...

Mars wrote in Interesting Non-TSR Items Formerly on eBay:Some of the SF modules can also be found as a hanger version.

Yeah I wish those popped up more often.  

stratochamp wrote in Interesting Non-TSR Items Formerly on eBay:

Historian wrote:Strat is basically right on TW printings.  Here's a quick guide that might be a little easier to digest:

1st - lettering on back and sides is brown, back doesn't say second edition near the top, no white award circle on front, brown maps, contains two players' guides, personalities cover is purple, largest TW logo on box sides is on left, books have cardstock covers

2nd - lettering on back and sides is brown, back says second edition near the top, no white award circle on front, brown maps, contains one players' guide, personalities cover is purple, largest TW logo on box sides is on left, books have cardstock covers

3rd - lettering on back and sides is brown, back says second edition near the top, white award circle on front, black maps, contains one players' guide, personalities cover is red, largest TW logo on box sides is on right (or you can think of it as the cover art being printed upside down), books have cardstock covers

4th - lettering on back and sides is black, back says second edition near the top, white award circle on front, black maps, contains one players' guide, personalities cover is blue, largest TW logo on box sides is on left, books have paper covers

Unfortunately there are still differences between the prints that I have, and what Hist. typed above. Namely my 3rd print box has black lettering on the sides and back, not brown. Also the Large Thieves World logo is on the left side, not the right. Lastly, from the outside of the box alone, the distinctions between a 3rd & 4th print are that in the 4th print the picture of Lythande on the back is blue, and in the bottom lower right is an inset box with a barcode.

Sounds like you might be describing a fifth version - likely between my 3rd/4th.  Please compare with the points I listed.

EDIT:  Poked around on ebay, and I think I see what you're talking about.  Also Geraud has it pictured in the previous thread.  I'd place it at 3.5.  It sounds like the only difference between your two black texts is the blue lythande and UPC box on the later one.  Thus, I think the line up should now be:

1st - lettering on back and sides is brown, back doesn't say second edition near the top, no white award circle on front, brown maps, contains two players' guides, personalities cover is purple, largest TW logo on box sides is on left, books have cardstock covers, picture on back is also brown

2nd - lettering on back and sides is brown, back says second edition near the top, no white award circle on front, brown maps, contains one players' guide, personalities cover is purple, largest TW logo on box sides is on left, books have cardstock covers, picture on back is also brown

3rd - lettering on back and sides is brown, back says second edition near the top, white award circle on front, black maps, contains one players' guide, personalities cover is red, largest TW logo on box sides is on right (or you can think of it as the cover art being printed upside down), books have cardstock covers, picture on back is also brown

4th - lettering on back and sides is black, back says second edition near the top, white award circle on front, black maps, contains one players' guide, personalities cover is blue, largest TW logo on box sides is on left, books have paper covers, picture on back is also black

5th - lettering on back and sides is black, back says second edition near the top, white award circle on front, black maps, contains one players' guide, personalities cover is blue, largest TW logo on box sides is on left, books have paper covers, picture on back is blue

See if that lines up with what you have.  If so, it sounds like you're missing a 3rd (in this new order) and I'm missing a 4th.

TheHistorian wrote in Interesting Non-TSR Items Formerly on eBay:3rd - lettering on back and sides is brown, back says second edition near the top, white award circle on front, black maps, contains one players' guide, personalities cover is red, largest TW logo on box sides is on right (or you can think of it as the cover art being printed upside down), books have cardstock covers, picture on back is also brown

4th - lettering on back and sides is black, back says second edition near the top, white award circle on front, black maps, contains one players' guide, personalities cover is blue, largest TW logo on box sides is on left, books have paper covers, picture on back is also black

Looking through my copies and I have a 3rd print that differs for one thing:

3rd - lettering on back and sides is brown, back says second edition near the top, white award circle on front, black maps, contains one players' guide, personalities cover is red, largest TW logo on box sides is on LEFT (instead of right) , books have cardstock covers, picture on back is also brown

So we add printing errors as 3' variant?  

Thunderdave wrote in Interesting Non-TSR Items Formerly on eBay:Paizo has launched their annual Great Golem sale... this time, the 3.5 PF modules are a buck, some Adventure Paths for $5, map folios and campaign guides for cheap too.  Plus the usual non-Paizo rpgs, miniatures, etc. etc.  Happy shopping!

Link:
http://paizo.com/store/sale/theGreatGol ... lishingLLC

Thanks for reminding me of this...I had a bit in my cart when I found out about this the other day...unfortunately, I forgot all about it. Half the things I had are now OOS. Oh well, Paizo thinks I still made out like a bandit :

"...
You've saved $166.39 off suggested retail—that's a 85% discount!
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