The points of issue
'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi/Knopf colophon. Dust jacket carries the printed price. First-issue jacket design predating any film tie-in.
Is this the true first?
The US Knopf 2005 edition is the true first; later basis for the Coen Brothers film. The UK Picador and movie-tie-in editions are later.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguished by the stated 'First Edition' and the priced first-issue jacket without any film imagery; later printings drop the statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of No Country for Old Men a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi/Knopf colophon. Dust jacket carries the printed price. First-issue jacket design predating any film tie-in.
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 US Knopf 2005 edition is the true first; later basis for the Coen Brothers film. The UK Picador and movie-tie-in editions are later.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Distinguished by the stated 'First Edition' and the priced first-issue jacket without any film imagery; later printings drop the statement.
I have a first edition of No Country for Old Men — 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.