What is a First Edition?

The first commercial print run of the book is the first edition, first printing. It's that simple. If for any reason there aren't enough books in that run, and another batch is printed, they will still be first edition books, but second printing - and nowhere near as collectible. It is widely accepted that 'first edition' is short for 'first edition, first printing' when buying or selling books (although, pedantically speaking, it shouldn't be).

The first edition continues until the book is changed. A new version of the book is then typeset, which becomes the second edition.

Why a First Edition?

Almost all book collectors are only interested in the First Edition and First Printing (first/first) of a title because it is the first state that the book becomes available in and it will be more difficult to come by as time goes on (many first edition printings are in smaller quantities than subsequent printings). This is especially true when there are many more reprints/editions of the book in publication/circulation.

How to determine if a book is a first printing.

The picture at left shows a portion of the Copyright Page in a book that was published in 1988. The ISBN is at the top, under that is the location of printing, (United States and Canada), under the location  is the Date of printing "October 1988". On the bottom is the number line that counts down from 10 to 1. The presence of "1" on the low end of the number line indicates that this book is a first printing.

What to look for: For many years books simply stated "First Edition" on their Copyright Page. On older books printed before the advent of ISBNs (about 1968), check whether your copy was printed the same year the book was first published. (For example since The Old Man and the Sea was first published in 1952, a copy from 1965 cannot be the first edition).  Newer books, those printed after 1968 or so, may also have a number sequence printed on the Copyright Page that determines its printing history. A number sequence that has a "1" at the end such as "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1" indicates a first printing. But, if the lowest number showing is 2, such as "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2" then the book is a second printing .. and so on. Be aware that there are a few publishers in the habit of printing later printings without removing the “First Edition” statement (yikes!). In books printed after 1968, look at the number line for the actual printing history. To a collector, books that state “First Edition” on their Copyright Page but have number lines missing the number "1" are not first printings.

Since the number line method wasn't widely used until the 1980s, you may well find books older without one. Luckily, there are other ways of telling if your book is a first edition.

Before anything else you should check to see if the book has 'First Edition, First Printing' written inside the cover. If so, you've got pretty irrefutable evidence. If not, take a look at the dates in the book. If the date of first publication doesn't match that of your edition then you're out of luck. If it does match then it might be a first edition - but bear in mind that successful books will have more than one print run a year.

And then, of course, there's the trusty old Internet. Try searching for your book online, possibly with the words 'first edition' attached. You may well find the information that you need. In stubborn cases, identification may come down to a crucial error or tiny variation in cover design.

There are a few exceptions to the above guidelines plus many unconventional ways different publishers may indicate first edition. For instance in the book First Editions: A Guide to Identification by Edward N. Zempel more than 1,700 different publishers and their ways of designating a First Edition are listed - most follow the above guidelines, but there are many that have a unique way of designating a first edition. For further help in discovering and deciphering the various ways publishers may indicate a first edition, see the list of reference books at the bottom of this page.

Book of the Month Club (BOMC) books and other editions released by book clubs are not usually candidates for a first edition. Except for a few exceptions, you can be fairly certain that if you have a Book Club Edition it is not a first edition.

What to look for:  Open the book and look at the inside flap of the dust jacket; if you're lucky, your book may identify itself there as a Book-of-the-Month-Club selection or a book club edition Also, most book-club editions do not have a price printed on the inside front flap of the dust jacket.  Now look at dust jacket at the back of the book ... if you see a small white rectangle box with five numbers instead of a bar-code and ten-digit ISBN number you have a book-club edition. Now take off the dust jacket and look at the back board on the lower right corner by the spine; many Book-of-the-Month Club editions have a very small indented mark there.

Here is a quick run-down of how to identify book-club editions: No price inside front flap and/or no ten-digit ISBN number on the back of the dust jacket and/or there is a small indented spot on the back of the book. If your book has one or more of these clues, you can be fairly certain you have a book-club edition. Exception Alert! Some books produced by Universities and small presses have no price on the jacket.

What is the value of a book club edition in top condition? As a collectible probably very little - there is not much desire from collectors or dealers for club editions. On the other hand, if you have a book club edition in top condition of a current top-ten bestseller - it may have value as a reading copy - perhaps 10% to 50% of the trade edition's cover price.

Reprints

From the mid-1800s through the mid-1900s books by popular authors such as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Mark Twain, William Shakespeare or Charles Dickens were often reprinted by the boat load. Grosset & Dunlap published mountains of reprints in the early 1900s. Some other publishers that printed reprints are A.L. Burt, Cupples & Goldsmith, Sun Dial, Saalfield, and Triangle.

What to look for: Compare the publisher's name printed on the Title Page and to the publisher's name listed on the Copyright Page - if the book lists two different publishers, the book is probably a reprint. For example: a reprinted copy of Edgar Rice Burroughs "The Beasts of Tarzan" states "Grosset & Dunlap, Pub." on the Title Page, but states "Copyright A. C. McClurg & Co, 1916" on the the Copyright Page.

You will also notice in the above picture a number line "07 08 09 10 11"
This number line refers to the year of the printing

---

This copy of the hardcover first edition of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," released in 1997 and signed "Joanne Rowling" on the back of the title page, was sold to an anonymous private bidder for $40,326 at Christie's auction house Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007.

As New: No defects, no markings, no library stamps, etc. Dust jacket if one was issued must be immaculate.

Fine:  Approaches As New but not crisp. Again no defects, markings, etc. If dust jacket has any minor damage it must be noted.

Very Good: A used book that shows small signs of wear, but no tears in binding, pages or dust jacket. Any defects must be noted.

Good: The average used and worn book, with all pages and leaves present. Any defects must be noted.

Fair: A worn book that has complete text pages including any maps or plates, but may lack end papers, half title, etc.

What Makes a Book Valuable?

Only an expert can tell you what your book is worth, but the following factors are worth considering - although there are always exceptions:

Points of Issue : A Compendium of Points of Issue of Books by 19th-20th Century Authors. Bill McBride. Paperback 1996. Another pocket-sized companion to the Guide listed above, it's also very useful. This is a list of specific books which have details (points of issue) that determine a first edition .