The points of issue
The US Atheneum first carries 'Atheneum 1971 New York' on the title page and a publisher's date-cancel label mounted over the printed copyright statement; illustrated by Gail Garraty; first-issue jacket priced and unclipped with no later silver award sticker. Earthsea Book 2.
Is this the true first?
The US Atheneum (1971) is the true first; the UK Gollancz (1972) is the UK first. The reliable points are the title-page imprint, the date-cancel copyright label, and the first-state priced jacket — not a printed 'First Edition' slug.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Weekly Reader and other juvenile book-club editions lack the title-page imprint and date-cancel label, use pictorial laminated boards rather than a jacket, and omit the price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Tombs of Atuan a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The US Atheneum first carries 'Atheneum 1971 New York' on the title page and a publisher's date-cancel label mounted over the printed copyright statement; illustrated by Gail Garraty; first-issue jacket priced and unclipped with no later silver award sticker. Earthsea Book 2.
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 Atheneum (1971) is the true first; the UK Gollancz (1972) is the UK first. The reliable points are the title-page imprint, the date-cancel copyright label, and the first-state priced jacket — not a printed 'First Edition' slug.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Weekly Reader and other juvenile book-club editions lack the title-page imprint and date-cancel label, use pictorial laminated boards rather than a jacket, and omit the price.
I have a first edition of The Tombs of Atuan — 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.