The points of issue
US Bantam Spectra hardcover, August 1996; first edition stated on the copyright page with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. Jacket carries a printed Bantam price on the front flap; unpriced jackets indicate a book club copy. UK Voyager/HarperCollins hardcover also 1996, in a very small print run.
Is this the true first?
The US Bantam edition is the true first: Bantam printed copies months ahead of official publication for distribution at the June 1996 American Booksellers Association convention, and the UK Voyager hardcover followed. The UK first (roughly 1500 copies) is far scarcer and heavily collected as the first UK edition, but it does not precede the US Bantam.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Science Fiction Book Club edition has an unpriced jacket and a gutter code stamped near the end of the book; the true first has neither. Later Bantam printings lack the full number line ending in 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire 1) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US Bantam Spectra hardcover, August 1996; first edition stated on the copyright page with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. Jacket carries a printed Bantam price on the front flap; unpriced jackets indicate a book club copy. UK Voyager/HarperCollins hardcover also 1996, in a very small print run.
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. The US Bantam edition is the true first: Bantam printed copies months ahead of official publication for distribution at the June 1996 American Booksellers Association convention, and the UK Voyager hardcover followed. The UK first (roughly 1500 copies) is far scarcer and heavily collected as the fir
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The Science Fiction Book Club edition has an unpriced jacket and a gutter code stamped near the end of the book; the true first has neither. Later Bantam printings lack the full number line ending in 1.
I have a first edition of A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire 1) — 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.