The fastest check: Stated "First Edition" plus number line ending in 1 for first printing
How to identify a first printing
- Stated "First Edition" plus number line ending in 1 for first printing
- First printing: full line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 and no later-printing notice
Decode the printer's key: paste the number line into the number-line decoder, search any title in the First Edition Checker, or run a book through the identifier.
Notable points & cautions
- Commercial fiction and nonfiction imprint, a division of Macmillan, founded in 2014 on a deliberately small list with heavy editorial and marketing support
- Pine & Cedar Books is a new imprint launching under Flatiron in summer 2025, overseen by Christine Kopprasch, debuting with S. A. Cosby's King of Ashes
- The number line, following standard Macmillan practice, is the reliable tell
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Flatiron, Pine & Cedar Books (2025). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Flatiron Books book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Stated "First Edition" plus number line ending in 1 for first printing First printing: full line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 and no later-printing notice
Does Flatiron Books use a number line?
First printing: full line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 and no later-printing notice
Is a book-club edition a Flatiron Books first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Commercial fiction and nonfiction imprint, a division of Macmillan, founded in 2014 on a deliberately small list with heavy editorial and marketing support
What era does this cover?
This covers Flatiron Books (2014–present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.