The points of issue
Three volumes, the first book edition, with no illustrations (unlike later editions) and issued in plum/purple cloth. The story first ran serially in 'All the Year Round' (December 1860 to August 1861); the three-volume book followed in 1861. The first issue is identified by its first-state title pages: the same setting of type was bound up and reissued five times in 1861 with altered title-page dating to suggest brisk demand, with persistent misprints carried throughout. The first-issue title page (first of the five) is the recognized point.
Is this the true first?
The UK three-decker is the true first in book form, preceding any illustrated edition. It was largely absorbed by the circulating libraries, contributing to the scarcity of clean first-issue sets.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later illustrated single-volume editions are not the first; later title-page states within 1861 are subsequent issues of the same edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Great Expectations a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Three volumes, the first book edition, with no illustrations (unlike later editions) and issued in plum/purple cloth. The story first ran serially in 'All the Year Round' (December 1860 to August 1861); the three-volume book followed in 1861. The first issue is identified by its first-state title pages: the same setting of type was bound up and reissued five times in 1861 with altered title-page dating to suggest brisk demand, with persistent misprints carried throughout. The first-issue title page (first of the five) is the recognized point.
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 UK three-decker is the true first in book form, preceding any illustrated edition. It was largely absorbed by the circulating libraries, contributing to the scarcity of clean first-issue sets.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later illustrated single-volume editions are not the first; later title-page states within 1861 are subsequent issues of the same edition.
I have a first edition of Great Expectations — 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.