How to Identify a True First Edition Book

If you're looking to invest in rare books, it's very important to know how to identify a true first edition. This can be easier said than done, as many publishers do not indicate their first editions in any way, and publishers tend to have no set standard for identification. However, if you follow a few basic guidelines, many first editions, especially those printed in the 20th and 21st centuries, can be accurately identified.

In many cases, either "First Edition" or "First Printing" will be stated on the copyright page. Regardless of whether the edition is stated, any bookseller who is selling a genuine first edition online should always place the a picture of the copyright page within the listing, or should be willing to send pictures by email. A first edition is not necessarily a first printing. For example, the first edition first printing of Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson is a stated first, with no later printings mentioned. In the second printing of this book, both "First Edition" and "Second Printing" are stated.

However, there are many cases where the edition is not stated. In these cases, you can compare the date on the copyright page to the date on the title page. These dates are identical in a first edition. If it is a true first edition, there will be no later dates or printings mentioned.

There may be a number line on the copyright page. For a first edition, this generally reads 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, or a variation thereof, usually ending in the number 1. Contraction of the number line to 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 generally indicates a second printing.

Also, you often must refer to "points of issue" to identify the edition, printing, and state of the book. Points of issue can include broken or battered type, a typo, a blurb which is present or missing on the dust jacket, or other unique identifying characteristics. This can be very difficult to assess correctly, as many books don't have the exact characteristics of one state or another, and are therefore referred to as "mixed state". Overall, though, a rare book will generally be more valuable the closer you can get to first edition, first printing, first state.