The points of issue
True first is the 1956 Doubleday HARDCOVER (Hugo winner). Caution title. Doubleday first states 'First Edition' on the copyright page; serialized in Astounding (1956) before book form.
Is this the true first?
Caution: the Signet paperback is a reprint, not the first. Hardcover precedes.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Doubleday first says 'First Edition'; the Science Fiction Book Club edition lacks the statement, is smaller/cheaply bound, has a rear-board blind-stamp, and a no-price jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Double Star a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the 1956 Doubleday HARDCOVER (Hugo winner). Caution title. Doubleday first states 'First Edition' on the copyright page; serialized in Astounding (1956) before book form.
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. Caution: the Signet paperback is a reprint, not the first. Hardcover precedes.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Doubleday first says 'First Edition'; the Science Fiction Book Club edition lacks the statement, is smaller/cheaply bound, has a rear-board blind-stamp, and a no-price jacket.
I have a first edition of Double Star — 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.