The points of issue
UK first: Geoffrey Bles, London, 1951, illustrated by Pauline Baynes. The true first is identified by the absence of any reprint or impression notation on the verso of the title page (this period uses no number line; the dated title page plus a clean verso indicates the first printing). First-issue jacket advertises only the Narnia titles published to date.
Is this the true first?
The UK Geoffrey Bles edition is the true first, preceding the US Macmillan edition issued the same year (1951).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions add an impression statement to the verso, and the jacket title-list of other Narnia books lengthens with subsequent printings. The US Macmillan edition is a distinct publication, not the UK first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Prince Caspian a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK first: Geoffrey Bles, London, 1951, illustrated by Pauline Baynes. The true first is identified by the absence of any reprint or impression notation on the verso of the title page (this period uses no number line; the dated title page plus a clean verso indicates the first printing). First-issue jacket advertises only the Narnia titles published to date.
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 Geoffrey Bles edition is the true first, preceding the US Macmillan edition issued the same year (1951).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions add an impression statement to the verso, and the jacket title-list of other Narnia books lengthens with subsequent printings. The US Macmillan edition is a distinct publication, not the UK first.
I have a first edition of Prince Caspian — 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.