The points of issue
First printing indicated by Doubleday code (no later-printing statement; '1' or letter code per Doubleday practice). First-issue jacket priced the printed price.
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday hardcover is the true first, preceding the UK Rapp & Whiting (1969). The priced first-issue jacket is the key value driver; PKD firsts in jacket are scarce and frequently lack jackets.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Doubleday/SFBC book-club edition: 'Book Club Edition' on the flap, no the printed price, blind-stamped dot on rear board, bulkier cheap paper. The BCE is common; the trade first in a fine priced jacket is worth many multiples.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing indicated by Doubleday code (no later-printing statement; '1' or letter code per Doubleday practice). First-issue jacket priced the printed price.
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 Doubleday hardcover is the true first, preceding the UK Rapp & Whiting (1969). The priced first-issue jacket is the key value driver; PKD firsts in jacket are scarce and frequently lack jackets.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Doubleday/SFBC book-club edition: 'Book Club Edition' on the flap, no the printed price, blind-stamped dot on rear board, bulkier cheap paper. The BCE is common; the trade first in a fine priced jacket is worth many multiples.
I have a first edition of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? — 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.