The points of issue
The true first of Hondo is the Fawcett Gold Medal paperback original, number 511, 1953, published to coincide with the John Wayne film. It is a paperback original; no hardcover preceded it. The first Gold Medal printing carries the original twenty-five-cent cover price and no statement of additional printings on the copyright page.
Is this the true first?
Hondo first appeared as a Gold Medal paperback original in 1953, expanded from the earlier story 'The Gift of Cochise.' A Crown hardcover followed later. The frequently confused point is that the true first is the 1953 Gold Medal paperback, not any hardcover.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Gold Medal printings note additional printings or carry revised cover art and prices. The hardcover and book-club editions are later states, not the true first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Hondo (true-first vs. paperback-original confusion) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The true first of Hondo is the Fawcett Gold Medal paperback original, number 511, 1953, published to coincide with the John Wayne film. It is a paperback original; no hardcover preceded it. The first Gold Medal printing carries the original twenty-five-cent cover price and no statement of additional printings 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. Hondo first appeared as a Gold Medal paperback original in 1953, expanded from the earlier story 'The Gift of Cochise.' A Crown hardcover followed later. The frequently confused point is that the true first is the 1953 Gold Medal paperback, not any hardcover.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Gold Medal printings note additional printings or carry revised cover art and prices. The hardcover and book-club editions are later states, not the true first.
I have a first edition of Hondo (true-first vs. paperback-original confusion) — 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.