Position:Home>Books & Authors> What are first edition books?

Depending on the publisher and time period, there are a number of ways to tell if a book is a first edition or not!. I'll get to them below!.

However, there are other issues!.
First, there is often a difference in "first edition" and "first printing!." Most of the time it is the first edition AND first printing that is worth money!. A first edition often means that this is the first "version" of the book, either by content or printing layout and method!. One clue to first editions is that they are actually rarely marked as such because they don't know if a second one is coming!. Some hedge their bets and mark them first edition anyway, but often they stamp them first edition once a second is approved or after other editions have come out and they reprinted an earlier one!. First printings are the first time that edition has been printed!. If it sells out, they will print another run!. So you may have a third printing of a first edition or a first printing of a third edition and the two are very different things!.
Second, as to whether ANY edition or printing is worth anything is completely subjective and based on the author and book in question!. You can get $100 for a first print of Stephen King's The Stand because people know King and like the stand, but there is no price difference in a first print and fifth print of Simon Hawke's The Inadequate Adept because no one knows or cares enough about Hawke's work!. So it only really matters if the book in question is a book people would collect or seek otherwise as to if they'll pay more for a certain printing or not!.
Worth is also determined from other things, such as the condition of the book (a valuable book in bad condition is not worth as much as the same book in good condition) and whether or not all the parts are present and the condition of the parts (such as a dust jacket - a valuable book that shipped with a dust jacket will be worth less if the original jacket is missing or damaged!. Some collectible books ship with everything from CDs to bookmarks to posters, which would need to be present to be worth full value)!.

So, how do you tell!?

Date
The publication date is the natural starting point when when it comes to appraising your book!. Generally speaking you should not see dates other than the original publication date!.
You may see two dates such as a copyright date and a 'First Published' date and these can differ slightly though not usually by more than a year!.

Printing Statement
Most publishers are helpful when it comes this and clearly state: 'Second Edition' - 'Third Impression' 'Reprinted in!.!.!.' etc etc!. Clearly any mention of these terms indicates a reprint!. However things are often not so easy and a book can clearly state 'first edition' or 'first printed' without mention of another edition or date and still be a reprint!.
Publishers often reprinted using the same plates as the first, sometimes for years afterward!.

Undated Books
If a book shows no dates at all then the balance of probability suggests it more likely to be a later edition!. However, as usual, there are many exceptions!. Specialized bibliographies would need to be consulted before any final decision can be made!.

Printers Key - Number Line
A relatively new method of indicating edition status has been adopted by many publishers, that being the printers key, often referred to as the number line!. This method shows a line of numbers on the copyright page, usually between 10 and 1!. The sequence of the numbers varies between publishers but the basic principal remains the same, a first issue-edition-impression requires the presence of the number 1!.For example 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 indicates a first printing!. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 would indicate a second printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 a third printing, and so forth!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

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1st edition books are books that are printed by the publisher in the 1st of several sets!. Usually, an author or publisher will publish a certain number of books to sell!. If they sell well they publish other copies (or editions) usually with small error fixed!.
As to worth, it depends on how old the books are!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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