Players Handbook

The second hardcover manual for AD&D.  Covers character classes and spells.

Players Handbook by Gary Gygax

Unlike the Dungeons & Dragons system, the AD&D Players Handbook provides info for characters of all levels in one manual.  However, AD&D assumes that characters will rise up to a maximum level in the mid-20's; D&D includes rules for character levels up to 100 or so (and actively encourages characters to rise that high, through the Immortals-series sets).

Printing Information

Most corrections mentioned in the Errata article of Dragon Magazine #35 were never incorporated into any version of the Players Handbook (only four corrections were).

Foreign Editions:  Click the link to view editions of the Players Handbook released outside the United States.

True First  (Jun 1978)

Wizard logo

Cover art is of two thieves prying the gems out of a large demon idol

"Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" is centered on the cover top, with "Players Handbook" (in white lettering) towards the bottom

No ISBN

Endpapers and flyleaves are white (this is the only feature differentiating this print from the First print below)

Copyright page does not state the printing month/year, nor the edition

Catalog on last page refers to a future "Referee's Guide" and Outdoor Geomorphs sets 2-4

The charts on the Reference sheets in back do not have intermittent shading

Thanks to Jeff Soileau and Joe Tibbetts for help with this info

First  (Jun 1978?)

Wizard logo

Cover art is of two thieves prying the gems out of a large demon idol

"Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" is centered on the cover top, with "Players Handbook" (in white lettering) towards the bottom

No ISBN

Endpapers and flyleaves are orange (this is the only feature differentiating this print from the True First print above)

Copyright page does not state the printing month/year, nor the edition

Catalog on last page refers to a future "Referee's Guide" and Outdoor Geomorphs sets 2-4

The charts on the Reference sheets in back do not have intermittent shading

Second  (Sep 1978)

Wizard logo

Cover art is of two thieves prying the gems out of a large demon idol

"Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" is centered on the cover top, with "Players Handbook" (in white lettering) towards the bottom

No ISBN

Endpapers and flyleaves are orange

States "2nd Printing, September 1978" on copyright page

Catalog on last page refers to a future "Referee's Guide" and Outdoor Geomorphs sets 2-4

The charts on the Reference sheets in back do not have intermittent shading

Third  (Jan 1979)

Wizard logo

Cover art is of two thieves prying the gems out of a large demon idol

"Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" is centered on the cover top, with "Players Handbook" (in white lettering) towards the bottom

No ISBN

Endpapers and flyleaves are orange

States "3rd Printing, January 1979" on copyright page

Catalog on last page has been updated in this and later prints; now correctly reflects a future Dungeon Masters Guide and omits reference to Outdoor Geomorphs sets 2-4

The charts on the Reference sheets in back do not have intermittent shading (though a copy has been spotted that has this shading)

Thanks to Eric Aldrich for help with this info

Fourth  (May 1979)

Wizard logo

Cover art is of two thieves prying the gems out of a large demon idol

"Advanced D&D" is now in a yellow angled banner on top left, with "Players Handbook" (in yellow lettering) centered towards the top

No ISBN

Endpapers and flyleaves are orange

States "4th Printing, May 1979" on copyright page

The charts on the Reference sheets in back in this and later prints have intermittent shading, for ease of reading

Fifth  (Oct 1979)

Wizard logo

Cover art is of two thieves prying the gems out of a large demon idol

"Advanced D&D" is in a yellow angled banner on top left, with "Players Handbook" (in yellow lettering) centered towards the top

No ISBN

Endpapers and flyleaves are orange

States "5th Printing, October 1979" on copyright page

Thanks to John Justice and Steven McGahan for help with this info

Sixth  (Jan 1980)

Wizard logo

Cover art is of two thieves prying the gems out of a large demon idol

"Advanced D&D" is in a yellow angled banner on top left, with "Players Handbook" (in yellow lettering) centered towards the top

ISBN now on spine

Endpapers and flyleaves are orange

States "6th Printing, January 1980" on copyright page

Thanks to Josh Berling, Michael Deaton, Scott Gregg, and John Justice for help with this info

Seventh  (1981)

Wizard logo

Cover art is of two thieves prying the gems out of a large demon idol

"Advanced D&D" is in a yellow angled banner on top left, with "Players Handbook" (in yellow lettering) centered towards the top

ISBN on spine

Endpapers and flyleaves are white

Still states "6th Printing, January 1980" on copyright page

Thanks to Robb Cavanaugh, Matthew Foster, Tim Powers, and Cheryl Smith for help with this info

Eighth  (1981?)

TSR Face logo

Cover art is of two thieves prying the gems out of a large demon idol

Added "Adventure Games" under "Advanced D&D" in the yellow angled banner on top left, with "Players Handbook" (in yellow lettering) centered towards the top

ISBN and Product Number on spine

Endpapers and flyleaves are white

Still states "6th Printing, January 1980" on copyright page

Thanks to Matt Foster, Richard Graves, and Eric Pass for help with this info, and to Michael Deaton for the scan

Ninth  (1983)

Angled TSR logo

Updated cover art (wizard casting a spell), matching the cover style of the just-released Monster Manual II.  The first batch of the Ninth print had a sticker on the front cover stating "The Original, Uncut Players Handbook in TSR's Attractive New Cover".  One copy of this actually had the sticker on the rear cover instead

Orange spine

Still states "6th Printing, January 1980" on the copyright page

Cover artist attribution still incorrectly refers to D.A. Trampier

Contents are identical to Eighth printing

Rear cover has the ISBN (0-935696-01-6) and the Product Number (394-51112-3TSR1200) stacked on the bottom left.  No UPC bar code, no price

Front cover and spine refer to "TSR Hobbies, Inc"

Thanks to Adam Gilchrist and Jason Parise for help with this info, and to Adrian Newman for the scan

Ninth Plus  

Angled TSR logo

Updated cover art (wizard casting a spell), but sticker has been removed

Orange Spine

Still states "6th Printing, January 1980" on the copyright page

Cover artist attribution corrected to Jeff Easley

Contents are otherwise identical to Eighth printing

Rear cover has the ISBN (0-935696-01-6) and the Product Number (394-51112-3TSR1200) stacked on the bottom left.  No UPC bar code, no price

Front cover and spine refer to "TSR, Inc"

Thanks to Michael Deaton, Rene Hurka, and Branden Robinson for help with this info

Tenth Minus  

Angled TSR logo

Updated cover art (wizard casting a spell), no sticker

Orange Spine

Still states "6th Printing, January 1980" on the copyright page

Cover artist attribution corrected to Jeff Easley

Contents are otherwise identical to Eighth printing

Rear cover has a UPC bar code, along with the ISBN and Product Number stacked on the bottom left.  No price

Front cover and spine refer to "TSR, Inc"

Thanks to Michael Deaton for help with this info

Tenth  

Angled TSR logo

Updated cover art (wizard casting a spell), no sticker

Orange spine

Still states "6th Printing, January 1980" on the copyright page

Cover artist attribution corrected to Jeff Easley

Contents are otherwise identical to Eighth printing

Rear cover has a UPC bar code, ISBN, and the price ($15.00)

Front cover and spine refer to "TSR, Inc"

Thanks to Michael Deaton and Ted Huckaby for this info, and to Adrian Newman for the scan

Eleventh  (Aug 1987)

Angled TSR logo

Updated cover art (wizard casting a spell), no sticker

Orange spine

Copyright info has finally been corrected, now stating "11th Printing, August 1987"

Cover artist attribution states Jeff Easley

Contents otherwise identical to the Eighth printing

Rear cover has a UPC bar code, ISBN, and the price ($15.00)

Front cover and spine refer to "TSR, Inc."

Later prints differ only in the printing number noted on the copyright page.  The Twelfth printing was in November 1987, the Thirteenth printing was in April 1988, the Fourteenth printing was in October 1988, the Fifteenth printing was in July 1989, and the Seventeenth printing was in July 1990 (actually a year after the 2nd Edition Players Handbook had been released, since dealers were still placing orders to TSR for the 1st Edition PHB!).

Current Market

The following represents The Acaeum's current valuation of these items, dependent upon condition (multiply by 3x-10x if shrinkwrap is present).  Values are updated at the beginning of the month, provided there were new public sales.  Click the titles to view active eBay auctions!

  Fair Good VGood Fine VFine NMint
Players Handbook  1st print (True) Fair$142 Good$256 VGood$341 Fine$427 VFine$512 NMint$569
Players Handbook  1st print Fair$95 Good$172 VGood$229 Fine$286 VFine$343 NMint$381
Players Handbook  2nd - 3rd print Fair$16 Good$29 VGood$39 Fine$48 VFine$58 NMint$64
Players Handbook  4th - 8th print Fair$20 Good$36 VGood$48 Fine$61 VFine$73 NMint$81
Players Handbook  9th and later prints Fair$12 Good$21 VGood$28 Fine$35 VFine$42 NMint$46
Players Handbook, True 1st-3rd print

Players Handbook

True 1st - 3rd print

Players Handbook, 4th-7th print

Players Handbook

4th - 7th print

Players Handbook, 8th print

Players Handbook

8th print

Players Handbook, 9th print

Players Handbook

9th print

Players Handbook, 10th and later prints

Players Handbook

10th and later prints