posted on May 14, 2001 08:59:46 PM
I have been selling books off and on for a while now and never can tell what edition I have unless it is a stated first edition.
How can you tell? Also, when the book has these numbers what does it mean?
posted on May 14, 2001 10:53:33 PM
Generally, that number line means that the book is a first edition. So are number lines that look like the following:
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
What makes the book a 1st edition is the 1 in the number line. After you identify your book as 1st, then you get into whether it is a 1st edition of the first printing or a later printing.
Example: I have a first edition copy of Ernest Hemingway's A Dangerous Summer. Copyright 1985. It is a first edition of the printing. This book is worth considerably less than the first edition of the first printing of the book from 1950's.
The other thing to look for is whether the dustjacket has a price on it. If not, you may have a BCE that appears to be a first.
My advice would be to look on-line for a guide to first editions. The one that I like is at: www.olg.com/books/firsted.htm
Become knowledgeable about identifying 1st editions. This may save you a future hassle with a collector that you have sold a misrepresented book to.
posted on May 14, 2001 11:28:14 PM
Here are places to go to to find out about First Editions. Barnes and Noble, Advanced Book Exchange or National Book Collectors Association. Barnes and Noble and Advanced also have a place to enter the name of your book, author and if they have any you can find out what they charge. I check all my books after I buy them to get a ball park price. Good Luck
posted on May 15, 2001 03:58:28 AM
MrsSantaClaus, Random House does not do the number line the same way most publishers do. On their recent First Editions, the number line always begins with 2, but if it is a First Printing, it will state "First Edition"; if it is a second printing, the line still begins with a 2, but they drop the "First Edition". THEN, if it goes to a lot of printings (more than 9 I think), they add a B, and the number line MAY have a one in it, like this - B123456789 - so even though the 1 is there, if the B is also there, it is definitely not a First.
I guess they just wanted to see how confusing they could make it - but it is important to know, because they are a major publisher.
posted on May 15, 2001 06:01:25 AM
I often see a book listed that says it has been price clipped. I know this means the price was cut from the corner of the jacket, but why? Or is this just a way to sell a bce without stating it as such?
posted on May 15, 2001 07:25:30 AM
There's a really good little handbook that tells how to identify first editions according to publisher, since they all seem to have their own rules, such as Random House as kudzurose pointed out.
The book is called" Identification of First Editions" compiled by Bill McBride. It's softcover, nice and small, fits in your back pocket when you go bookscouting, and you can usually get it for $7 - $9 on Amazon or eBay.
~Nan http://www.enchantedhen.com
posted on May 15, 2001 12:22:20 PM
I have an old children's book up for auction right now, and a customer e-mailed me to ask "what is the stock number on the lower right back of the book, or at the bottom of the spine?" The number was 1556. Why did they want this number?
posted on May 15, 2001 03:31:59 PM
Go to Barnes and Noble out of print books and enter the title and author and see if they have any of the books there and then you can see what they sell for. I hope it is there.
posted on May 15, 2001 03:51:09 PM
joycel - With some of the older books, collectors know of various ways to determine the edition or publisher of a particular book. That is probably what that number tells the person who emailed you. Same with vintage paperbacks - they want to know the number on the front or spine.
