The points of issue
Dark blue cloth, red lettering on spine. First-state dust jacket priced the printed price with NO mention of the later Foundation sequels; rear panel lists Gnome Press titles only (no 'Foundation and Empire' or 'Second Foundation'). Front flap has the famous misprint 'Hari Seldon.' Gnome address 80 East 11th Street, N.Y.
Is this the true first?
Gnome Press is the true first of the entire trilogy (Foundation 1951, Foundation and Empire 1952, Second Foundation 1953). No prior magazine appearance counts as a 'book' first; stories were fixed up from Astounding. Later-state jackets describe the sequels on the rear flap — these are still first printing sheets but second-state jackets, worth less than the true first-state jacket.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
There was no contemporaneous US book-club edition of the Gnome printing; the danger is later-state jackets and the much later Doubleday omnibus. A jacket mentioning the sequels = second state. Doubleday reprints are clearly later publisher.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Foundation a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Dark blue cloth, red lettering on spine. First-state dust jacket priced the printed price with NO mention of the later Foundation sequels; rear panel lists Gnome Press titles only (no 'Foundation and Empire' or 'Second Foundation'). Front flap has the famous misprint 'Hari Seldon.' Gnome address 80 East 11th Street, N.Y.
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. Gnome Press is the true first of the entire trilogy (Foundation 1951, Foundation and Empire 1952, Second Foundation 1953). No prior magazine appearance counts as a 'book' first; stories were fixed up from Astounding. Later-state jackets describe the sequels on the rear flap — these are still first p
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
There was no contemporaneous US book-club edition of the Gnome printing; the danger is later-state jackets and the much later Doubleday omnibus. A jacket mentioning the sequels = second state. Doubleday reprints are clearly later publisher.
I have a first edition of Foundation — 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.