The points of issue
First printing in publisher's tan half-cloth with paper-covered boards bearing a mounted photograph of Sidney Poitier; [xii], 142 pp. The true first printing has no 'B 987' code on the copyright page; the second printing is identified by the presence of 'B 987'.
Is this the true first?
US Random House 1959 is the true first (the first Broadway play by a Black woman), preceding the UK Methuen edition. The first printing is genuinely scarce; verify the absence of the 'B 987' second-printing code on the copyright page.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The second printing carries 'B 987' on the copyright page. The collecting target is the trade first printing, which lacks the B-code; the photographic boards are integral to the copy.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Raisin in the Sun a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing in publisher's tan half-cloth with paper-covered boards bearing a mounted photograph of Sidney Poitier; [xii], 142 pp. The true first printing has no 'B 987' code on the copyright page; the second printing is identified by the presence of 'B 987'.
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 Random House 1959 is the true first (the first Broadway play by a Black woman), preceding the UK Methuen edition. The first printing is genuinely scarce; verify the absence of the 'B 987' second-printing code on the copyright page.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The second printing carries 'B 987' on the copyright page. The collecting target is the trade first printing, which lacks the B-code; the photographic boards are integral to the copy.
I have a first edition of A Raisin in the Sun — 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.