How to identify a first printing
- Mass-market paperback originals: copyright page shows 'First Avon … Printing (Month Year)' / 'First Edition'; a true first lists ONLY the first printing.
- Number line where present: lowest number 1 indicates first printing.
- Absence of any later-printing notation is the core test for paperback originals.
- Modern HarperCollins-era Avon follows the HC line-to-1 convention on the copyright page.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1941 as a mass-market paperback house; the dominant US romance imprint, so a huge share of Avon titles are paperback FIRSTS.
- Acquired by HarperCollins (via the Hearst/Morrow acquisition, 1999); now a HarperCollins romance imprint.
- Romance collectors treat the Avon mass-market original as the true first edition.
- Older Avon paperbacks identified by series number and printing line rather than a stated 'First Edition'.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Avon Romance, Avon Impulse, Avon Inspire, Avon Red, Bard (former), Camelot/Flare (children's-YA, former). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Avon Books book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Mass-market paperback originals: copyright page shows 'First Avon … Printing (Month Year)' / 'First Edition'; a true first lists ONLY the first printing. Number line where present: lowest number 1 indicates first printing.
Does Avon Books use a number line?
Number line where present: lowest number 1 indicates first printing.
Is a book-club edition a Avon Books first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1941 as a mass-market paperback house; the dominant US romance imprint, so a huge share of Avon titles are paperback FIRSTS.
What era does this cover?
This covers Avon Books (1941–present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.