The points of issue
"First Edition" stated on the copyright page, with 1950 on both the title and copyright pages. Grey cloth with orange spine lettering and a green top stain, in a pictorial dust jacket priced 2.50 on the front flap, the rear panel carrying a photograph and biography of Asimov. Asimov's first published novel in hardcover.
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The principal later issue is a 1951 printing that retains the 1950 dates but lacks the stated "First Edition" line and carries a lower flap price; the absence of the "First Edition" statement is the key distinguishing point. Doubleday's gutter-code dating system did not begin until the late 1950s, so neither the true first nor any contemporaneous reissue of this 1950 title bears a gutter code.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Pebble in the Sky a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page, with 1950 on both the title and copyright pages. Grey cloth with orange spine lettering and a green top stain, in a pictorial dust jacket priced 2.50 on the front flap, the rear panel carrying a photograph and biography of Asimov. Asimov's first published novel in hardcover.
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. US Doubleday is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The principal later issue is a 1951 printing that retains the 1950 dates but lacks the stated "First Edition" line and carries a lower flap price; the absence of the "First Edition" statement is the key distinguishing point. Doubleday's gutter-code dating system did not begin until the late 1950s, so neither the true first nor any contemporaneous reissue of this 1950 title bears a gutter code.
I have a first edition of Pebble in the Sky — 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.