The points of issue
Number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'. Crucial error: page 6 lists '3 Quills' but Harry only buys 1; and the copyright page mistakenly credits 'Joanne Rowling'. The genuine first issue has the misprint where '7' is dropped from the number line in some copies (true first has the full line). Bloomsbury imprint, 1998.
Is this the true first?
UK Bloomsbury 1998 true first (only ~10,150 hardback). US Scholastic 1999 is first American. Deluxe/signed states exist but the trade first is identified by the number line and quill error.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings correct the number line and omit early errors; book-club copies lack the descending-to-1 line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'. Crucial error: page 6 lists '3 Quills' but Harry only buys 1; and the copyright page mistakenly credits 'Joanne Rowling'. The genuine first issue has the misprint where '7' is dropped from the number line in some copies (true first has the full line). Bloomsbury imprint, 1998.
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. UK Bloomsbury 1998 true first (only ~10,150 hardback). US Scholastic 1999 is first American. Deluxe/signed states exist but the trade first is identified by the number line and quill error.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings correct the number line and omit early errors; book-club copies lack the descending-to-1 line.
I have a first edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets — 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.