The points of issue
A full number line including the low digit on the copyright page indicates the first printing, with no later-printing notice. Jacket design by Paul Bacon; first-issue jacket carries the printed price on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
The Simon and Schuster trade first is the true first. A signed/numbered limited issue (specially bound copies signed on the limitation page) and a separate Franklin Library signed edition exist apart from the trade first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club copies lack the first-printing number line and the front-flap price and may be blind-stamped.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Good as Gold a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: A full number line including the low digit on the copyright page indicates the first printing, with no later-printing notice. Jacket design by Paul Bacon; first-issue jacket carries the printed price on the front flap.
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 Simon and Schuster trade first is the true first. A signed/numbered limited issue (specially bound copies signed on the limitation page) and a separate Franklin Library signed edition exist apart from the trade first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book club copies lack the first-printing number line and the front-flap price and may be blind-stamped.
I have a first edition of Good as Gold — 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.