The points of issue
Third and final U.S.A. volume, published August 1936. First printing has 'First edition' stated on the copyright page with no other printings noted; bound in cloth lettered in silver. First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
True US first; precedes the UK Constable edition of 1936. The trilogy was first gathered into one volume as 'U.S.A.' by the Modern Library in 1937 (Harcourt, Brace issued its own one-volume 'U.S.A.' in 1938); the illustrated three-volume boxed set with Reginald Marsh illustrations was published by Houghton Mifflin in 1946 in a signed limitation of 365 copies. Each of those is its own separate first, not a state of the 1936 volume.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club issue for the first. Later printings note additional printings on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Big Money a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Third and final U.S.A. volume, published August 1936. First printing has 'First edition' stated on the copyright page with no other printings noted; bound in cloth lettered in silver. First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap.
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 US first; precedes the UK Constable edition of 1936. The trilogy was first gathered into one volume as 'U.S.A.' by the Modern Library in 1937 (Harcourt, Brace issued its own one-volume 'U.S.A.' in 1938); the illustrated three-volume boxed set with Reginald Marsh illustrations was published by H
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club issue for the first. Later printings note additional printings on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of The Big Money — 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.