The points of issue
First edition, first issue: 1,250 copies. Murray's catalogue of advertisements not present in first issue (some bound in vary). Key textual points: 'speceies' misspelled for 'species' on p. 20, line 11; on p. 1 the running head/text quotation page carries only two quotations (Whewell and Bacon) on the verso of the half-title; 'till' for 'still' on p. 21; the word 'whale' references and the famous p. 184 bear-into-whale passage (later softened). Title page dated 1859, priced 15 shillings. Bound in original green cloth, blind-stamped, with 32 pages of Murray ads dated June 1859.
Is this the true first?
The true first is the 1859 London John Murray edition. The 1860 New York (D. Appleton) printing is the first American edition, not the first overall. Six lifetime English editions exist with substantial revisions; only the 1859 first contains the original uncorrected text. The 'speceies' error is the single most diagnostic point.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Numerous later facsimiles and reprints (e.g., Harvard facsimile ed.) exist; these are clearly marked as facsimiles or carry later imprints. Any copy lacking the 1859 title-page date, the 'speceies' error, and the June 1859 Murray ads is not the first issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first issue: 1,250 copies. Murray's catalogue of advertisements not present in first issue (some bound in vary). Key textual points: 'speceies' misspelled for 'species' on p. 20, line 11; on p. 1 the running head/text quotation page carries only two quotations (Whewell and Bacon) on the verso of the half-title; 'till' for 'still' on p. 21; the word 'whale' references and the famous p. 184 bear-into-whale passage (later softened). Title page dated 1859, priced 15 shillings. Bound in original green cloth, blind-stamped, with 32 pages of Murray
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 true first is the 1859 London John Murray edition. The 1860 New York (D. Appleton) printing is the first American edition, not the first overall. Six lifetime English editions exist with substantial revisions; only the 1859 first contains the original uncorrected text. The 'speceies' error is th
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Numerous later facsimiles and reprints (e.g., Harvard facsimile ed.) exist; these are clearly marked as facsimiles or carry later imprints. Any copy lacking the 1859 title-page date, the 'speceies' error, and the June 1859 Murray ads is not the first issue.
I have a first edition of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection — 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.