The points of issue
'POINT' present on the spine and jacket as called for; original price on the front flap; the rear flap carries the '7-9 Pratt Street' address; full number line descending to 1. Jacket art (the alethiometer) by David Scutt.
Is this the true first?
The UK Scholastic/Point 1995 edition is the true first worldwide; the US Knopf 'The Golden Compass' (1996, retitled) is a separate, later first-American edition. Northern Lights won the 1995 Carnegie Medal.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later UK printings alter the rear-flap address/number line and add a Carnegie Medal sticker; the US Knopf edition is not the true first regardless of state.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Northern Lights (US title: The Golden Compass) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: 'POINT' present on the spine and jacket as called for; original price on the front flap; the rear flap carries the '7-9 Pratt Street' address; full number line descending to 1. Jacket art (the alethiometer) by David Scutt.
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 Scholastic/Point 1995 edition is the true first worldwide; the US Knopf 'The Golden Compass' (1996, retitled) is a separate, later first-American edition. Northern Lights won the 1995 Carnegie Medal.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later UK printings alter the rear-flap address/number line and add a Carnegie Medal sticker; the US Knopf edition is not the true first regardless of state.
I have a first edition of Northern Lights (US title: The Golden Compass) — 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.