The points of issue
First printing has the Knopf Borzoi device with 'FIRST EDITION' / 'Published February, 1930' (no later printing statement); first-issue dust jacket priced the printed price with the correct blurb and no review quotes from after publication.
Is this the true first?
US Knopf 1930 is the true first; UK (Cassell, 1930) follows. Hammett-signed firsts are scarce and prized.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies are blind-stamped, lack the publication-month statement, and have unpriced jackets; later Knopf printings add printing statements.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Maltese Falcon a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has the Knopf Borzoi device with 'FIRST EDITION' / 'Published February, 1930' (no later printing statement); first-issue dust jacket priced the printed price with the correct blurb and no review quotes from after publication.
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 1930 is the true first; UK (Cassell, 1930) follows. Hammett-signed firsts are scarce and prized.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club copies are blind-stamped, lack the publication-month statement, and have unpriced jackets; later Knopf printings add printing statements.
I have a first edition of The Maltese Falcon — 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.