The points of issue
First printing carries the publisher's first-edition statement with a full number line on the copyright page; the dust jacket is price-clipped only when later. Issued in black cloth with an orange topstain. Hardcover original.
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1975 Houghton Mifflin (Boston) edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A Book Club Edition exists; identify it by the absence of the number line and the blind-stamped dot on the rear board, with no price on the jacket flap.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Cockpit a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing carries the publisher's first-edition statement with a full number line on the copyright page; the dust jacket is price-clipped only when later. Issued in black cloth with an orange topstain. Hardcover original.
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. True first is the 1975 Houghton Mifflin (Boston) edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A Book Club Edition exists; identify it by the absence of the number line and the blind-stamped dot on the rear board, with no price on the jacket flap.
I have a first edition of Cockpit — 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.