The points of issue
First printing has the Scribner seal with the letter A on the copyright page. Bound in black cloth lettered in red. Issued in a dust jacket bearing the printed price and a photograph of Hemingway. Published October 15, 1937.
Is this the true first?
True US first edition; precedes the 1937 UK Cape edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition of note; reprints lack the A and seal.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of To Have and Have Not a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has the Scribner seal with the letter A on the copyright page. Bound in black cloth lettered in red. Issued in a dust jacket bearing the printed price and a photograph of Hemingway. Published October 15, 1937.
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. True US first edition; precedes the 1937 UK Cape edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition of note; reprints lack the A and seal.
I have a first edition of To Have and Have Not — 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.