The points of issue
Cape first edition, first impression, 1964 (Gilbert A14a). The verso carries the single line 'FIRST PUBLISHED 1964' with no later-impression statement. The Richard Chopping trompe-l'oeil jacket (a toad and a peony bloom) is priced 16s net on the front flap; copies bound in publisher's boards with silver titles and Japanese characters to the upper board, with bamboo-patterned endpapers.
Is this the true first?
UK Cape (1964) precedes the US New American Library edition (1964); the UK Cape printing is the true first. The last Bond novel published in Fleming's lifetime.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions reset and add an impression statement to the verso; price-clipped or reset book-club copies lack the original 16s net jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of You Only Live Twice a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cape first edition, first impression, 1964 (Gilbert A14a). The verso carries the single line 'FIRST PUBLISHED 1964' with no later-impression statement. The Richard Chopping trompe-l'oeil jacket (a toad and a peony bloom) is priced 16s net on the front flap; copies bound in publisher's boards with silver titles and Japanese characters to the upper board, with bamboo-patterned endpapers.
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. UK Cape (1964) precedes the US New American Library edition (1964); the UK Cape printing is the true first. The last Bond novel published in Fleming's lifetime.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions reset and add an impression statement to the verso; price-clipped or reset book-club copies lack the original 16s net jacket price.
I have a first edition of You Only Live Twice — 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.