The points of issue
First edition: Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1925, with the Scribner's seal on the copyright page and 'Published April, 1925'. First-issue textual points include 'chatter' for 'echolalia' (p. 60), 'northern' for 'southern' (p. 119), the 'Union Street station' reading (around p. 165/211), and 'sick in tired' (p. 205). The first-issue Cugat dust jacket shows lowercase 'jay Gatsby' on the rear panel, hand-corrected in ink to capital 'J' by the publisher.
Is this the true first?
The US Scribner's 1925 edition is the true first. Later Scribner's printings correct the textual errors, and the dust-jacket state governs identification of the earliest issue.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Scribner printings correct the text; the jacket state distinguishes the first issue. This is a duplicate cross-reference entry and should be deduplicated against the standalone Great Gatsby record.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Great Gatsby (Connolly #48) — see above a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition: Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1925, with the Scribner's seal on the copyright page and 'Published April, 1925'. First-issue textual points include 'chatter' for 'echolalia' (p. 60), 'northern' for 'southern' (p. 119), the 'Union Street station' reading (around p. 165/211), and 'sick in tired' (p. 205). The first-issue Cugat dust jacket shows lowercase 'jay Gatsby' on the rear panel, hand-corrected in ink to capital 'J' by the publisher.
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. The US Scribner's 1925 edition is the true first. Later Scribner's printings correct the textual errors, and the dust-jacket state governs identification of the earliest issue.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Scribner printings correct the text; the jacket state distinguishes the first issue. This is a duplicate cross-reference entry and should be deduplicated against the standalone Great Gatsby record.
I have a first edition of The Great Gatsby (Connolly #48) — see above — 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.