Sounds like a scam. I bought the first printing (obviously first edition) published in 1976 for around $100. Look at alibris (book website) for the actual price of old/rare books.

I have the 1976 books they sold for about $45. I am not sure when David printed the first book, but I know he altered the book for each new owner of the christopher herb company and I know that he removed 500 pages of his father's book before the first print ever happened, because his Dad was very much an occult writer and David did not want to offend any religion on the planet and made the book "politically" correct.....HOW DO "I" KNOW 500 pages was removed? Because I have an origional copy Dr. John R. Christopher made on his type writer, complete with the lines running at angles and misspelled words galore.

MH