The points of issue
First printing has the 'A' and the Scribner seal on the copyright page. Bound in black cloth boards with gold-printed paper labels on the front board and spine; top edge stained red. Published October 1933 with a first-issue dust jacket carrying the printed price.
Is this the true first?
True US first; precedes the 1934 UK Jonathan Cape edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club; later printings drop the 'A' from the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Winner Take Nothing a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has the 'A' and the Scribner seal on the copyright page. Bound in black cloth boards with gold-printed paper labels on the front board and spine; top edge stained red. Published October 1933 with a first-issue dust jacket carrying the printed price.
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; precedes the 1934 UK Jonathan Cape edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club; later printings drop the 'A' from the copyright page.
I have a first edition of Winner Take Nothing — 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.