The points of issue
"First Edition" stated on the copyright page. First-issue dust jacket priced the printed price on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday is the true first edition (1952), following serialization in Astounding Science-Fiction.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions omit "First Edition" on the copyright page and bear a blind-stamped device on the rear board; the gutter/row code on the final text leaf and absence of the priced jacket also mark a club copy.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Currents of Space a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page. First-issue dust jacket priced 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. US Doubleday is the true first edition (1952), following serialization in Astounding Science-Fiction.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book club editions omit "First Edition" on the copyright page and bear a blind-stamped device on the rear board; the gutter/row code on the final text leaf and absence of the priced jacket also mark a club copy.
I have a first edition of The Currents of Space — 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.