The points of issue
Hardcover in boards with gilt spine lettering, in pictorial dust jacket with the price present on the jacket flap. The Hamish Hamilton first impression carries a full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. Booker Prize shortlisted.
Is this the true first?
The UK Hamish Hamilton edition of 1987 is the true first, preceding the US Grove Press edition of 1988.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions break the number line (lowest digit no longer 1) or otherwise note the impression; book-club issues lack the price and jacket points.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Chatterton a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Hardcover in boards with gilt spine lettering, in pictorial dust jacket with the price present on the jacket flap. The Hamish Hamilton first impression carries a full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. Booker Prize shortlisted.
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 UK Hamish Hamilton edition of 1987 is the true first, preceding the US Grove Press edition of 1988.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions break the number line (lowest digit no longer 1) or otherwise note the impression; book-club issues lack the price and jacket points.
I have a first edition of Chatterton — 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.