The points of issue
"First Edition" stated on the copyright page with no added printing line; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price and shows no review excerpt on the rear flap. From the first printing, 150 specially-bound, numbered copies signed by Doctorow were issued as presentation copies, a distinct and more desirable state (a larger unnumbered signed binding also exists; the 150 numbered copies are the priority).
Is this the true first?
The US Random House printing is the true first; the UK Macmillan edition (1976) follows. The 150 signed/numbered presentation copies precede in desirability.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions are smaller, often blind-stamped on the rear board, and the jacket lacks the printed price; later trade printings carry a printing statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Ragtime a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with no added printing line; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price and shows no review excerpt on the rear flap. From the first printing, 150 specially-bound, numbered copies signed by Doctorow were issued as presentation copies, a distinct and more desirable state (a larger unnumbered signed binding also exists; the 150 numbered copies are the priority).
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 printing is the true first; the UK Macmillan edition (1976) follows. The 150 signed/numbered presentation copies precede in desirability.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book club editions are smaller, often blind-stamped on the rear board, and the jacket lacks the printed price; later trade printings carry a printing statement.
I have a first edition of Ragtime — 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.