# Is "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Cosmos by Carl Sagan (Random House, 1980) is identified by: First edition, first printing: copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with no number line below it (Random House convention of the period). US Random House 1980 is the true first, preceding the UK Macdonald Futura edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, first printing: copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with no number line below it (Random House convention of the period)
- Original dust jacket with its printed price, lavishly illustrated
- Issued alongside the PBS television series
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Carl Sagan |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1980 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, first printing: copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with no number line below it (Random House convention of the period) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition, first printing: copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with no number line below it (Random House convention of the period). Original dust jacket with its printed price, lavishly illustrated. Issued alongside the PBS television series.

## Is this the true first?
US Random House 1980 is the true first, preceding the UK Macdonald Futura edition. Signed Sagan copies carry strong premiums. Television tie-in printings followed quickly.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the 'FIRST EDITION' statement, are slightly smaller, have a blind board stamp, and carry an unpriced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Cosmos* by Carl Sagan a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/cosmos
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.