The points of issue
UK first edition published by Secker & Warburg in 1976, with the Secker & Warburg imprint and 1976 date stated on the copyright page; priced dust jacket. Won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. First book of the science/'Revolutions' sequence.
Is this the true first?
Both the UK Secker & Warburg and the US W. W. Norton editions are dated 1976. The UK edition is the conventionally accepted first; the Norton first American edition is identified by the figure 1 in its number line.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Doctor Copernicus a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK first edition published by Secker & Warburg in 1976, with the Secker & Warburg imprint and 1976 date stated on the copyright page; priced dust jacket. Won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. First book of the science/'Revolutions' sequence.
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. Both the UK Secker & Warburg and the US W. W. Norton editions are dated 1976. The UK edition is the conventionally accepted first; the Norton first American edition is identified by the figure 1 in its number line.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No notable book-club edition.
I have a first edition of Doctor Copernicus — 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.