The points of issue
Trade issue states 'First Edition' on the copyright page, with the dust jacket carrying the printed retail price on the front flap. A signed, numbered limited edition of 350 copies (slipcased, issued without jacket) was also published.
Is this the true first?
The US Knopf hardcover of 1981 is the true first; it won the 1982 Pulitzer, National Book Award, and National Book Critics Circle Award. The signed/numbered limited of 350 copies is the premium state.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book-club edition lacks the stated 'First Edition,' is smaller, carries a blind-stamp on the rear board, and has an unpriced jacket flap.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Rabbit Is Rich a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Trade issue states 'First Edition' on the copyright page, with the dust jacket carrying the printed retail price on the front flap. A signed, numbered limited edition of 350 copies (slipcased, issued without jacket) was also published.
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 Knopf hardcover of 1981 is the true first; it won the 1982 Pulitzer, National Book Award, and National Book Critics Circle Award. The signed/numbered limited of 350 copies is the premium state.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The book-club edition lacks the stated 'First Edition,' is smaller, carries a blind-stamp on the rear board, and has an unpriced jacket flap.
I have a first edition of Rabbit Is Rich — 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.