The points of issue
Number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page and the stated date August 1996. Bantam Spectra hardcover. Dust jacket priced the printed price with art by Stephen Youll. First state has the complete descending-to-1 number line and the original jacket without later blurbs/awards.
Is this the true first?
US Bantam 1996 true first (much smaller print run than later books). UK Voyager/HarperCollins (1996) is first British with separate points. The US trade first is the key collectible; signed firsts command a large premium.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
SFBC (Science Fiction Book Club) edition is the common confused reprint: smaller trim, no printed jacket price (a code instead), gutter/blind-stamp dot on rear board, and no '10 9 8 7...1' trade number line. Number line ending in 1 = trade first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Game of Thrones a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page and the stated date August 1996. Bantam Spectra hardcover. Dust jacket priced the printed price with art by Stephen Youll. First state has the complete descending-to-1 number line and the original jacket without later blurbs/awards.
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 Bantam 1996 true first (much smaller print run than later books). UK Voyager/HarperCollins (1996) is first British with separate points. The US trade first is the key collectible; signed firsts command a large premium.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
SFBC (Science Fiction Book Club) edition is the common confused reprint: smaller trim, no printed jacket price (a code instead), gutter/blind-stamp dot on rear board, and no '10 9 8 7...1' trade number line. Number line ending in 1 = trade first.
I have a first edition of A Game of Thrones — 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.