How can you tell when a book is a FIRST EDITION?

Question

How does it "show" it?
As far as I can see it never says "1st Edition" - or anything like it.
I thought it was to do with a series of numbers on the fly sheet - but I need to know EXACTLY how to spot a first edition. Can anyone give a specific answer.

Answer 1

If it doesn't say anything about editions on the copyright page, then I think you can assume it is the first edition.

Answer 2

Every first edition book that I have has the words "First Edition" on the same page that says all the copyright info and publishers info. It's a page very near the front of the book.

Some people will say that if it has a number sequence at the bottom of that page ending in 1 (e.g. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ) then that is a first edition, it is not. A true first edition will always have it written in words. Many second editions use words too.

This page gives a little more info:
http://www.booklibris.com/BLFirstEditionID.htm

Answer 3

Look at the first or the last page of the book. It will show whether it is the first edition or subsequent edition.

Answer 4

The title page and verso will say if a book is a first edition.

Answer 5

It usually says first edition but if not find the second edition and u'll know

Answer 6

if you look inside the book, it usually has a published date, and a copywrite date for the author, if the copywrite date and the published date are the same, then youhave a first edition, hope this helps

Answer 7

If it does not say 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc edition, it would be reasonable to assume that it is the first efition, Watson.

Answer 8

It will say so, at about the 2nd page, after the title page.

Answer 9

It tells you on the inside of the cover.

Answer 10

look inseife the covers.