The points of issue
Copyright page states 'First Edition' with a number line whose lowest number is 2, the Random House first-printing convention for this period. Black cloth with gilt spine; profusely illustrated with color plates; 429 pp; ISBN 0-679-43841-6. First-issue jacket with the printed price.
Is this the true first?
The US Random House edition is the true first and precedes the UK (Headline) edition. Sagan died in 1996; signed copies are scarce but carry no bibliographic priority.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club and trade-paperback issues lack the price-printed hardcover jacket, may carry a rear-board blindstamp, and do not state 'First Edition.' The stated 'First Edition' with a number line bottoming at 2 and the price-printed jacket mark the trade first. Note the trade-paperback issue carries a different ISBN (0-679-76486-1).
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states 'First Edition' with a number line whose lowest number is 2, the Random House first-printing convention for this period. Black cloth with gilt spine; profusely illustrated with color plates; 429 pp; ISBN 0-679-43841-6. First-issue jacket with the printed price.
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 Random House edition is the true first and precedes the UK (Headline) edition. Sagan died in 1996; signed copies are scarce but carry no bibliographic priority.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club and trade-paperback issues lack the price-printed hardcover jacket, may carry a rear-board blindstamp, and do not state 'First Edition.' The stated 'First Edition' with a number line bottoming at 2 and the price-printed jacket mark the trade first. Note the trade-paperback issue carries a different ISBN (0-679-76486-1).
I have a first edition of Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space — 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.