The points of issue
First edition was a paperback original: Fawcett Gold Medal #511, 1953, with the Gold Medal first-printing code on the copyright page (no later-printing numbers). Pictorial wrappers; the John Wayne film tie-in connection drove demand. Verify the Gold Medal first-printing statement/number on the copyright page.
Is this the true first?
US Fawcett Gold Medal (1953) paperback original is the true first—there is no preceding hardcover. (The later Saturday Evening Post story 'The Gift of Cochise' is the source short story, a separate item.) Because it is a PBO, the Gold Medal printing code is the key; later printings add numbers.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club hardcover precedes it; later hardcover reprints (e.g., Gregg Press, book club) are 'first thus' and clearly later. The 1953 Gold Medal #511 first-printing wrappers copy is the true first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Hondo a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition was a paperback original: Fawcett Gold Medal #511, 1953, with the Gold Medal first-printing code on the copyright page (no later-printing numbers). Pictorial wrappers; the John Wayne film tie-in connection drove demand. Verify the Gold Medal first-printing statement/number on the copyright page.
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. US Fawcett Gold Medal (1953) paperback original is the true first—there is no preceding hardcover. (The later Saturday Evening Post story 'The Gift of Cochise' is the source short story, a separate item.) Because it is a PBO, the Gold Medal printing code is the key; later printings add numbers.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club hardcover precedes it; later hardcover reprints (e.g., Gregg Press, book club) are 'first thus' and clearly later. The 1953 Gold Medal #511 first-printing wrappers copy is the true first.
I have a first edition of Hondo — 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.