ALL Prints (so it seems thus far) should have the following items:
Contents:
Two Piece Box...
8-1/2" x 11" cardstock cover Black Spiral Bound Book with 114 numbered pages, the book is dated 1975 on the first inside page opposite the cover.
(I have seen nothing to indicate that ANY printings have a different number of pages for this book, or other dates/printing information)
Four page Tables Booklet/Sheets
Three Large Color maps (Dated 1973)

Different printings will have some combination of the additional items and/or differences below:
For this post: what I call 1st and 2nd prints may not be correct, but my statements are fairly clear (IMO).
(See link to Tomb of Treasure thread at bottom of this post for additional information)

Box Data:
The 1st print box size is slightly shorter (about 1/8th inch on the long side; about 1/16th on the short side) than the 2nd print box.
The size difference may seem inconsequential (and perhaps irrelevant) when looking at the sentence above, but if one box from each print is stacked on top of the other, it becomes obvious.
Also try placing the box top of a 1st onto the bottom of a 2nd... and vice-versa...

The Bottom of the 1st print box is entirely white underneath... with no sketch.

1st Print Box Top has NO Stock number on the box.


2nd Print Box Top has a stock number (1005) at top right corner of box top.
The Stock Number is also printed at the top right corner on both short sides of the box top.


Other items:
Single One Sided Sheet, with title of game, game description, and short contents list (I have never seen this inside a 2nd print box).


I have also seen the following single sided sheet inside what I think is a 1st print before (never a 2nd print)

The Sheet above has the same sketch that is printed on the bottom of 2nd print boxes.

On inside of rear cover of book, for the one I am calling a 1st print; the Products list has 15 items above The Dragon notation; War of Wizards (Zip-Lock version at $7.95) being the first item listed at the top.


The 2nd print lists 27 products above The Dragon notation; Monster Manual being the first item listed at top (War of Wizards Boxed Version is also shown near bottom at $9.95).



Tomb Of Treasures indicates that there are at least Three and perhaps even Four different Printings.
According to that thread, it looks like the main difference is that the 114 page book has NO Products list on the inside cover of the 1st print.
Which would mean the one I am calling a 1st is really a 2nd and my 2nd is really a 3rd.
However; none of my books have a blank rear inside cover, so I am not certain.

http://www.tomeoftreasures.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3415

Your info was spectacular:) allowed me to confirm my set is complete and definitely totally 1st edition:)

Thanks!!

grodog wrote:David's copy (which I still need to mail to him, clearly) is one of the first copies ever sold, from the 25 sets hand-assembled to sell at Origins I in 1975 (per EGG), and has a variant large white comb-binding on it (not the standard-issue black), and does include the "Component Parts Price List" on page 114, which also lists two other TSR products (D&D and SR).  This set does not include the reference sheets, and inside back cover is blank.

This post is GOLDEN...
You did not mention the bottom of the box, but I assume it is also blank (white).

Thank you very much.

Gnat the Beggar wrote:You did not mention the bottom of the box, but I assume it is also blank (white).

That's correct, John:  the bottom of the box is blank.

faro wrote:And here's me thought I only had one of the first 25 or so sold in the UK.

Good to know, eh?

While none of the sets have printing information listed, since the "2nd print" product list pictured above includes the Basic Set and Monster Manual it could be dated to mid-1977 at the earliest. It might be even later. The product list in the 3rd print Basic Set (May 78) lists M&TA Set Three as "Future Release", whereas the 2nd edition Basic Set (Nov 78) has the $2.49 price listed as with the "2nd print" EPT box above.