Whats my first edition book worth

Find a first edition of your favorite book to add to your own collection or as a gift for the bibliophile in your life. In publishing terms, a first edition book is all copies that were printed from the same setting of type as when first published.

The book is only described as a second edition if significant changes are made to the copy. In collecting terms, a general definition of 1st edition book would be a work's first commercially available appearance in book form, printed with the original setting of type. The first time a publisher releases a new book, all copies of that book printed without major changes can be considered a first edition book.

If the initial print run - known as the 'first printing' or 'first impression'- sells out and the publisher decides to produce a subsequent printing with the same typeset, books from that second print run can be described as a first edition, second printing. But it's more complicated than that.

Each time a publisher releases a new instance of the same title, or when a book is released in a new format, these may also be considered first edition books.

For example, a book originally published in the US and later in the UK will have both a first US edition and a first UK edition, in addition to others that may come later, such as the Penguin Classics first edition, the Folio Society first edition, or the first paperback edition. Booksellers will often describe these later first editions as a 'first edition thus' or just 'first thus'.

Some books are published in such huge quantities that first editions are very common. Another example would be a small-press or mimeo publication by a much-collected poet. In that case, the supply remains low while demand for rises. Another important factor in the value of a first edition or any collectible book is condition.

If it has flaws, it will usually be worth significantly less than a copy in excellent fine condition. Book collectors tend to be fussy about such things and will pay a premium for a copy that looks like it just left the printing press. There are rare exceptions. It all just depends on the book and current market conditions.

Only when you have a clear understanding of its condition can you go on to determine an approximate retail value. So, you want to find out the value of your book. Or, maybe you want to figure out a particular used book is priced reasonably. Prices of books offered online and in brick-and-mortar shops will vary quite a bit.

Consider that while you may or may not! Think of yourself as a wholesaler. Their offer will figure in their costs and the time that they expect to have it in their stock before a buyer comes along. Book value: How much is your book worth? Keyword or ISBN. First Editions. Signed Books.