Merging reprint with first printing

[lethe]

Merging is still a little scary, so just to check before I do anything rash:

This book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

is the 1975 reprint of this book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

They have the same cover and the same ISBN (I have the 1975 copy and can confirm), so I want to merge them.
The reprint has the most ratings, so in order to keep the earlier publication date, should I make sure both records contain the same info? (I can re-add the ISBN later) Or does merging automatically keep the earlier date?
And what will happen with the cover images?

[Z-squared]

Generally, you should merge the less popular edition into the more popular one. But make sure the final edition has the best cover image AND an ISBN attached. Not sure about the pub date... I guess keep the earliest pub date, especially if you can independently confirm it at Amazon or WorldCat?

ETA: For the cover image, it's not like the GR algorithm will automatically pick the 'better' cover image, so if you're going to merge (delete) the edition with the better cover image, make sure you copy that cover over to the edition that will stay. And make a note in the comment section when you upload the new cover to let other librarians know why you've deleted a cover image. I usually write something to the effect of 'same cover, better picture'.

[lethe]

Thank you so much! It turned out to be more complicated than I had thought (too many ratings to do it myself), but they have now been merged. :)