The points of issue
First English-language printing has the number line ending in '1' and 'First Edition' stated; jacket priced the printed price. (The true world first is the Chinese-language edition, Chongqing Press, 2008.)
Is this the true first?
The Tor edition (2014) is the true first ENGLISH-language edition and the first Asian Hugo winner for Best Novel; the genuine world first is the 2008 Chinese-language edition. Collectors of the English first want the Tor first printing.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Tor printings have number lines not ending in 1. The Chinese 2008 first is a distinct, separately collected object.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Three-Body Problem a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First English-language printing has the number line ending in '1' and 'First Edition' stated; jacket priced the printed price. (The true world first is the Chinese-language edition, Chongqing Press, 2008.)
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 Tor edition (2014) is the true first ENGLISH-language edition and the first Asian Hugo winner for Best Novel; the genuine world first is the 2008 Chinese-language edition. Collectors of the English first want the Tor first printing.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Tor printings have number lines not ending in 1. The Chinese 2008 first is a distinct, separately collected object.
I have a first edition of The Three-Body Problem — 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.