The points of issue
Three volumes, published anonymously. Title pages dated 1818, imprint 'Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones'. Half-titles present; the dedication to William Godwin. Three small octavo volumes in original boards with paper labels (rarely surviving). 500 copies printed.
Is this the true first?
The 1818 three-volume anonymous edition is the true first and the most valuable. The revised 1831 one-volume Colburn & Bentley edition (with Mary Shelley's name and a new introduction) is the textually distinct, far more common 'standard' text — a different edition, not a reprint of the 1818 text. The 1823 second edition first bears 'Mary Shelley' on the title page.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Any single-volume Frankenstein is not the 1818 first. The ubiquitous modern text derives from the 1831 revision; collectors must distinguish the 1818 three-decker from all later one-volume printings.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Three volumes, published anonymously. Title pages dated 1818, imprint 'Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones'. Half-titles present; the dedication to William Godwin. Three small octavo volumes in original boards with paper labels (rarely surviving). 500 copies printed.
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. The 1818 three-volume anonymous edition is the true first and the most valuable. The revised 1831 one-volume Colburn & Bentley edition (with Mary Shelley's name and a new introduction) is the textually distinct, far more common 'standard' text — a different edition, not a reprint of the 1818 text. T
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Any single-volume Frankenstein is not the 1818 first. The ubiquitous modern text derives from the 1831 revision; collectors must distinguish the 1818 three-decker from all later one-volume printings.
I have a first edition of Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus — 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.