The points of issue
Quarter black cloth over orange cloth with decorations to front board and spine; 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page; first-state dust jacket priced ten dollars ninety-five cents on the front flap and bearing the code '0171' at the foot of the front flap (second-state jackets lack this code).
Is this the true first?
US Holt, Rinehart and Winston (New York) true first, copyright 1970 (distributed January 1971); UK Barrie & Jenkins followed.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issue lacks the 'First Edition' statement and the jacket price and carries a blind-stamp; later printings are slightly smaller.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Quarter black cloth over orange cloth with decorations to front board and spine; 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page; first-state dust jacket priced ten dollars ninety-five cents on the front flap and bearing the code '0171' at the foot of the front flap (second-state jackets lack this code).
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 Holt, Rinehart and Winston (New York) true first, copyright 1970 (distributed January 1971); UK Barrie & Jenkins followed.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club issue lacks the 'First Edition' statement and the jacket price and carries a blind-stamp; later printings are slightly smaller.
I have a first edition of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West — 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.