We are an online reference guide providing collectors the details
necessary to help identify modern first edition books.

The key to establishing a book's value is to first ensure that it is a first edition. A first editions is the earliest printed copy of a published book. Collectors look for first edition books because these tend to have the highest demand and the greatest potential to increase in value over time. There are standard identification criteria that first editions conform because most, but not all, first edition books follow an established identification method established by each book publisher. These first edition criteria are details about what a book looked like when it was initially printed as a first edition. These details include details such as certain codes on the copyright page, the type of the binding, and particular text on the dust jacket.

In addition to the first edition criteria, there are sometimes points of issue that describe some part of a book which changes during the first printing without the standard first edition identification of the publisher changing, thus creating some copies of the first edition that have the point, and some that do not have the point. The most common type of first edition points of issue are typographical mistakes that were changed during the first printing. In these cases, the copies with the mistake are more desirable because they represent the earliest state of a first edition.

The fedpo.com website helps a collector understand the identification criteria and any first edition points of issue by describing details such as a book's binding, a specific typographical error, or a dust jacket review that can only be found on the earliest printings. First edition criteria and points of issue are usually subtle, but they are important features that distinguish a rare first edition from a common reprint.

The most common first edition criteria can be found on a book's copyright page. The copyright page may say that a book is a first edition, or a first printing, or first impression; and it may state additional printing information, or it may provide a printing code indicating what printing a book is from. Each publisher has used various methods over the years to indicate a book's edition and printing. Another common first edition indicator is a book's cover price, which is typically printed on the dust jacket. The presence of a price on a dust jacket is also the most fundamental way to ensure that the dust jacket is not from a book club edition or other type of reprint. Book club editions look similar to genuine first editions, but they are not first editions, and they have very little collectible value.

To find first edition criteria for a specific book, simply type in the name of the book, or the name of the author in the fields above; or browse all of our available entries by clicking on the bars at the bottom of this page. We have pages for hundreds of collectible books where we describe first edition criteria, provide photographs of known first editions, and provide pre-filled eBay, AbeBooks, and Biblio search links for each book so you can quickly establish its most recent market value.

May 29, 2008

Profiles In Courage was written by John F. Kennedy. The first edition was published in 1955 by Harper & Brothers. It was 266 pages long, and the retail price was $3.50 . Profiles In Courage won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography.

The first edition criteria are as follows: The true first edition carries FIRST EDITION and the printing code M-E (indicating December 1955 as the printing date) on copyright page. The book is light blue cloth with black spine and gold letters. The jacket carries a price of $3.50. The book title on the jacket spine is red when it is in fine condition, but tends to fad to pink if sunned.

Note: Early printings lack the FIRST EDITION statement, and have different printing codes indicating the month and year when they were printed. The first letter indicates the month and the second letter indicates the year. The months range from A to M where A is January, B is February, C is March, and so forth through to M, which indicates December. J is skipped for some reason. The years are represented by the second letter which can be A through Z, and once again the letter J is skipped. Thus the letters represent a 25 year span, after which the letters repeat.

To use the code on the first Edition of Profiles of Courage as an example, the M means December, and the letter E can either indicate 1955 or 25 years earlier - 1930. Since we know Kennedy didn't write the book in 1930 (because he would have been 13 years old), we have to conclude that E represents 1955 in this case. Here are some later printing codes that people have asked about:

A-F = January 1956
D-F = April 1956
H-F = August 1956
C-G = March 1957
Click here for more photos...

May 28, 2008

The Manchurian Candidate was written by Richard Condon. The first edition was published in 1959 by McGraw-Hill Book Company. It was 311 pages long, and the retail price was $4.50 .

First edition criteria: First Edition is stated on the copyright page. Dust jacket has price of $4.50 on the upper front flap. No reviews on the back of dust jacket. Click here for more photos...

May 27, 2008

The Andromeda Strain was written by Michael Crichton. The first edition was published in 1969 by Alfred A. Knopf. It was 295 pages long, and the retail price was $5.95 .

Here are the first edition criteria: FIRST EDITION is stated on copyright page. Click here for more photos...

May 23, 2008

The Assistant was written by Bernard Malamud. The first edition was published in 1957 by Farrar, Straus and Cudahy. It was 246 pages long, and the retail price was $3.50.

Here are the first edition criteria: "First Printing, 1957" is stated on the copyright page. Boards are brown with black spine. Price is on the upper corner of the front flap. Five reviews on the dust jacket back. Click here for more photos...

May 19, 2008

Snow Crash was written by Neal Stephenson. The first edition was published in 1992 by Bantam Books. It was 440 pages long, and the retail price was $22.00.

Here are the first edition criteria: The hardcover and softcover of this science fiction classic were issued simultaneously, but the hardcover is far less common. Copyright page on the hardcover has full number line "FFG 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1". Hardcover has Maroon boards and dark blue cloth spine with silver lettering. Dust jacket has a review by William Gibson on the top of the front panel, and three reviews on the back - by Rudy Rucker, Timothy Leary, and James Morrow. Click here for more photos...

May 15, 2008

The Namesake was written by Jhumpa Lahiri. The first edition was published in 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. It was 291 pages long, and the retail price was $24.00.

The first edition criteria are as follows: Copyright page has full number line "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1". Boards are white with tan cloth spine. Back of dust jacket has three reviews - New York Times, Newsweek, and Los Angelese Times Book Review. Back dust jacket flap has photo and short bio of the author. Click here for more photos...

May 14, 2008

The Crossing was written by Cormac McCarthy. The first edition was published in 1994 by Alfred A. Knopf. It was 426 pages long, and the retail price was $23.00.

The first edition criteria are as follows: "First Edition" is stated on the copyright page. Boards are black cloth with gold lettering on spine. 1,000 copies were issued with a special signed limitation page tipped in for "friends of the author and publisher". There are also copies with tipped in pages that are signed, but have no limitation statement. Click here for more photos...

May 12, 2008

Herzog was written by Saul Bellow. The first edition was published in 1964 by Viking. It was 341 pages long, and the retail price was $5.75. Herzog won the National Book Award.

Here are the first edition criteria: "First published in 1964 by The Viking Press, Inc." is stated on the copyright page with no references to subsequent printings. Copyright page also has Library of Congress catalog card number, the name of the printer (H. Wolf Book Manufacturing Co, Inc.), and a line that says "M B G".

The dust jacket carries a price of $5.75. The bottom front flap says "THE VIKING PRESS * NEW YORK" and "Jacket design by Mel Williamson". The bottom back flap has the Viking Press logo, followed by the Viking Press address (three lines).

Note: The first issue has the first letter of each chapter "gray" because of poor printing. There are apparently two varieties where one is printed slightly darker than the other. Click here for more photos...

May 11, 2008

No Voyage was written by Mary Oliver. The first edition was published in 1963 by Dent & Sons. It was 56 pages long, and the retail price was 15s net.

Here are the first edition criteria: The first edition of this 56 page book was published in the UK by J. M. Dent & Sons LTD. "First published in the edition 1963" is stated on the copyright page. Boards are green. The price is on the bottom of the front dust jacket flap. The back dust jacket flap has nothing but three lines of printer and wrapper designer information. Back of dust jacket has the poem No Voyage printed as a sample from the book, and no reviews. (Book photos courtesy of Dan Baranow.) Click here for more photos...

May 09, 2008

The House on the Strand was written by Daphne Du Maurier. The first edition was published in 1969 by Victor Gollancz LTD. It was 349 pages long, and the retail price was £1.50.

Here are the first edition criteria: Both the copyright page and the bottom of title page states 1969, and the copyright page has no references to subsequent printings. Boards are orange/brick colored cloth. Dust jacket has no reviews, and the bottom of the front flap says "30/- [£1.50] net". Click here for more photos...

May 05, 2008

Postcards was written by Annie Proulx. The first edition was published in 1992 by Charles Scribner's Sons. It was 308 pages long, and the retail price was $22.95.

The first edition criteria are as follows: Copyright page has full number line "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1". Click here for more photos...

May 04, 2008

The Last Time They Met was written by Anita Shreve. The first edition was published in 2001 by Little, Brown and Company. It was 313 pages long, and the retail price was $24.95.

Here are the first edition criteria: FIRST EDITION is stated on the copyright page near the top, and full number line "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1" is located near the bottom. Click here for more photos...

May 03, 2008

Shoot the Moon was written by Billie Letts. The first edition was published in 2004 by Warner Books. It was 333 pages long, and the retail price was $24.00.

The first edition criteria are as follows: "First Printing: July 2004" is stated on the copyright page above number line "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1". Click here for more photos...

May 02, 2008

A Crown of Feathers was written by Isaac Bashevis Singer. The first edition was published in 1973 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. It was 342 pages long, and the retail price was $8.95. A Crown of Feathers won the National Book Award.

Here are the first edition criteria: "First printing, 1973" is stated on the copyright page with no other statements of subsequent printings. Click here for more photos...

May 01, 2008

Blood Tie was written by Mary Lee Settle. The first edition was published in 1977 by Houghton Mifflin . It was 386 pages long, and the retail price was $10.95. Blood Tie won the National Book Award.

The first edition criteria are as follows: Copyright page has full number line "S 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1". Back of dust jacket has blurbs by Vance Bourjaily, Ann Beattie, and Douglas Day. Click here for more photos...

This website is intended to help guide you and give you insight into what to look for when identifying first editions. As such, the information presented here may not always be 100% accurate. Gathering and updating information about these books is more an art than a science, so some of our first edition points may be wrong. If you spot a mistake, drop us an e-mail and we will do our best to investigate and fix it.

We are an online reference guide providing collectors the details
necessary to help identify modern first edition books.

May 27, 2008

The Andromeda Strain was written by Michael Crichton. The first edition was published in 1969 by Alfred A. Knopf. It was 295 pages long, and the retail price was $5.95 .

Here are the first edition criteria: FIRST EDITION is stated on copyright page. Click here for more photos...

We are an online reference guide providing collectors the details necessary to help identify modern first edition books.

May 27, 2008The Andromeda Strain was written by Michael Crichton. The first edition was published in 1969 by Alfred A. Knopf. It was 295 pages long, and the retail price was $5.95 .Here are the first edition criteria: FIRST EDITION is stated on copyright page. Click here for more photos...

We are an online reference guide providing collectors the details
necessary to help identify modern first edition books.

May 27, 2008

The Andromeda Strain was written by Michael Crichton. The first edition was published in 1969 by Alfred A. Knopf. It was 295 pages long, and the retail price was $5.95 .

Here are the first edition criteria: FIRST EDITION is stated on copyright page. Click here for more photos...