# Is "Diamonds Are Forever" by Ian Fleming a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Diamonds Are Forever by Ian Fleming (Jonathan Cape, 1956) is identified by: Cape first, published 26 March 1956 (Gilbert A4a); black cloth blind-stamped with a silver-gilt diamond device on the front board, lettered in silver on the spine. UK Cape (1956) precedes the US Macmillan edition (October 1956), so the UK printing is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Cape first, published 26 March 1956 (Gilbert A4a); black cloth blind-stamped with a silver-gilt diamond device on the front board, lettered in silver on the spine
- First-issue jacket with its printed price
- Verso carries a single impression line
- Publisher imprint reads Jonathan Cape
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ian Fleming |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
| Year | 1956 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Cape first, published 26 March 1956 (Gilbert A4a); black cloth blind-stamped with a silver-gilt diamond device on the front board, lettered… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Cape first, published 26 March 1956 (Gilbert A4a); black cloth blind-stamped with a silver-gilt diamond device on the front board, lettered in silver on the spine. First-issue jacket with its printed price. Verso carries a single impression line.

## Is this the true first?
UK Cape (1956) precedes the US Macmillan edition (October 1956), so the UK printing is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions add printing lines; reprints reset.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Diamonds Are Forever* by Ian Fleming a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/diamonds-are-forever
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.