The points of issue
'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page. Cloth-backed boards. First-issue jacket carries the printed price on the front flap and is coded 2/63 on the rear flap. Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction (1964).
Is this the true first?
US Knopf is the true first edition and precedes the UK Andre Deutsch edition of 1963.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club copies lack the 'FIRST EDITION' statement and the printed/coded first-issue jacket and typically carry a blind-stamped impression on the rear board.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Centaur a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page. Cloth-backed boards. First-issue jacket carries the printed price on the front flap and is coded 2/63 on the rear flap. Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction (1964).
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. US Knopf is the true first edition and precedes the UK Andre Deutsch edition of 1963.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book club copies lack the 'FIRST EDITION' statement and the printed/coded first-issue jacket and typically carry a blind-stamped impression on the rear board.
I have a first edition of The Centaur — 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.