The points of issue
The Scribner first printing carries the letter A on the copyright page with the Scribner seal beneath it; that A plus seal is the definitive point. Publisher's cream linen over boards, front cover decorated and titled in green, spine lettered in green. Chapter headings and title-page vignette by Edward Shenton. First-issue jacket carries the printed price on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
US Scribner 1938 true first; the Scribner A plus seal on the copyright page is the definitive point.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies lack the Scribner seal on the copyright page and are typically printed on thinner, cheaper paper. Note that a Book-of-the-Month Club notice on the jacket is merely advertising and does not by itself indicate a club-edition book block. Later illustrated editions (N. C. Wyeth) are not the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Yearling a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The Scribner first printing carries the letter A on the copyright page with the Scribner seal beneath it; that A plus seal is the definitive point. Publisher's cream linen over boards, front cover decorated and titled in green, spine lettered in green. Chapter headings and title-page vignette by Edward Shenton. First-issue jacket carries the printed price on the front flap.
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 Scribner 1938 true first; the Scribner A plus seal on the copyright page is the definitive point.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club copies lack the Scribner seal on the copyright page and are typically printed on thinner, cheaper paper. Note that a Book-of-the-Month Club notice on the jacket is merely advertising and does not by itself indicate a club-edition book block. Later illustrated editions (N. C. Wyeth) are not the first.
I have a first edition of The Yearling — 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.