The points of issue
Copyright page states "FIRST PRINTING"; publisher's canary-yellow cloth with gilt titles blocked on a black spine panel. First-state dust jacket carries the date code 10/58 at the bottom of the front flap.
Is this the true first?
US Random House edition is the true first; the UK (Hamish Hamilton, 1958) follows.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issue has a blindstamp on the rear board and lacks the "FIRST PRINTING" statement and the flap date code.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Breakfast at Tiffany's: A Short Novel and Three Stories a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states "FIRST PRINTING"; publisher's canary-yellow cloth with gilt titles blocked on a black spine panel. First-state dust jacket carries the date code 10/58 at the bottom of the front flap.
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 edition is the true first; the UK (Hamish Hamilton, 1958) follows.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club issue has a blindstamp on the rear board and lacks the "FIRST PRINTING" statement and the flap date code.
I have a first edition of Breakfast at Tiffany's: A Short Novel and Three Stories — 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.