The points of issue
English first edition, first printing: Harvill Secker, London, 2014, with full number line '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' (the '1' present) on the copyright page. The US Harper edition (2015) is later. The original Hebrew edition ('Kitzur Toldot Ha-Enoshut,' 2011) predates all English printings.
Is this the true first?
True first overall is the 2011 Hebrew edition. The first English edition is the 2014 Harvill Secker (UK), preceding the 2015 US Harper edition. Collectors of the English first want the 2014 Harvill Secker with the '1' in the number line.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No traditional book-club issue; the main pitfall is treating the 2015 US Harper edition as the first English (it is not) or a later UK printing (shortened number line) as a first. Verify the 2014 date and complete number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: English first edition, first printing: Harvill Secker, London, 2014, with full number line '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' (the '1' present) on the copyright page. The US Harper edition (2015) is later. The original Hebrew edition ('Kitzur Toldot Ha-Enoshut,' 2011) predates all English printings.
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. True first overall is the 2011 Hebrew edition. The first English edition is the 2014 Harvill Secker (UK), preceding the 2015 US Harper edition. Collectors of the English first want the 2014 Harvill Secker with the '1' in the number line.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No traditional book-club issue; the main pitfall is treating the 2015 US Harper edition as the first English (it is not) or a later UK printing (shortened number line) as a first. Verify the 2014 date and complete number line.
I have a first edition of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind — 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.