The points of issue
First printing has the code 'FIRST EDITION' and Harper's '0-06-...' with no later-printing statement; first-issue jacket priced the printed price.
Is this the true first?
US Harper & Row is the true first, preceding the UK Gollancz (1974). Hugo and Nebula winner.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
SFBC: 'Book Club Edition' on flap, no price, blind-stamped dot, cheaper paper.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Dispossessed a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has the code 'FIRST EDITION' and Harper's '0-06-...' with no later-printing statement; first-issue jacket priced the printed price.
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 Harper & Row is the true first, preceding the UK Gollancz (1974). Hugo and Nebula winner.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
SFBC: 'Book Club Edition' on flap, no price, blind-stamped dot, cheaper paper.
I have a first edition of The Dispossessed — 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.