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First-Edition Identification · J.R.R. Tolkien

Is My The Story of Kullervo a First Edition?

HarperCollins, 2015

The points of issue

Ed. Verlyn Flieger. UK first published August 2015; number line ending in 1 on the copyright page.

Decode the printer’s key: paste the number line into the decoder · HarperCollins first-edition guide.

Is this the true first?

UK HarperCollins is the true first; the US Houghton Mifflin Harcourt edition followed in April 2016.

Telling it from reprints & book-club editions

Later printings differ.

Frequently asked questions

Is my copy of The Story of Kullervo a first edition?

Look for these first-edition points: Ed. Verlyn Flieger. UK first published August 2015; number line ending in 1 on the copyright page.

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. UK HarperCollins is the true first; the US Houghton Mifflin Harcourt edition followed in April 2016.

Is the book-club edition the same as the first?

Later printings differ.

I have a first edition of The Story of Kullervo — 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.

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