Many sales claim to present first editions, or those from the '40s or '50s when they are really offering much later editions.

The HRN (high reorder number) appears on the order form, on either the back cover, or one of the inside covers. The last issue listed is the HRN. It provides the exact dating for Classics Illustrated (The date listed inside the front cover isn't reliable, since it didn't change every time a new edition came out. Some comics from the 1950s and 60s still have a 1940s 'date of publication').To determine the exact date after establishing the HRN you need a catalog such as Overstreet that lists all the editions, but even without that, the HRN will let you know whether you have a first edition or not.

The original Classic Comics / Classics Illustrated were published by Gilberton in the 1940- 1960s. There were several later reprints by Berkeley, First and others but those are not as collectible as the original series. Recently Classics Illustrated have been reissued, but these are easily identified by the much higher price on the covers.

For the World Around Us [WAU] and Classics Illustrated Special series, it's simpler since there was only one edition. Some of the Specials did have different covers.

See our store for dozens more Classics Illustrated in wholesale lots