My journey began with a Holmes set for my 10th birthday in Feb. 1980. I played that all summer, but was eager to graduate to AD&D with the big kids when I went back to school in the fall, and my parents bought me the three AD&D hardbacks late in that year.

The only difference listed between 6th and 7th printing is orange endpapers and flyleaves in the former, but my late-1980 PHB had white, disputing the 1981 date for the 7th printing. Are we sure that none of the 6th printing had white? If so, I'd say we can date the 7th printing a few months earlier than 1981.

The 7th print must have been quite large, because these wizard logo, white endpaper/flyleaf PHBs seem by far the most common I've encountered over the years. (I have 5 of them currently..)

Thanks!