The points of issue
US Bantam and UK Voyager/HarperCollins hardcovers released simultaneously on 12 July 2011. US copy: stated first edition with full number line ending in 1; UK copy: number line ending in 1. Harper Voyager also issued a slipcased deluxe edition in a much smaller run, and signed slipcased copies exist.
Is this the true first?
US and UK are simultaneous co-firsts of 12 July 2011; either is acceptable as a first, and the co-publication should be noted.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
SFBC copies and later printings differ; the Voyager slipcased deluxe is a distinct collectible state.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Dance with Dragons (ASOIAF 5) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US Bantam and UK Voyager/HarperCollins hardcovers released simultaneously on 12 July 2011. US copy: stated first edition with full number line ending in 1; UK copy: number line ending in 1. Harper Voyager also issued a slipcased deluxe edition in a much smaller run, and signed slipcased copies exist.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US and UK are simultaneous co-firsts of 12 July 2011; either is acceptable as a first, and the co-publication should be noted.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
SFBC copies and later printings differ; the Voyager slipcased deluxe is a distinct collectible state.
I have a first edition of A Dance with Dragons (ASOIAF 5) — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.