How to identify a first printing
- Sequential/letter-coded catalog numbers identify the title: the main line ran from #101 (October 1958) to #563 (December 1965), and the Monarch Americana sub-series (begun January 1960, numbered from #300) carried an MA prefix until that prefix was dropped on books published after January 1964.
- First printing: no later-printing statement on the copyright page. Monarch rarely reprinted, so the great majority of surviving copies are first printings; a reprint would carry the original number.
- The cover price and the number block date the copy.
Notable points & cautions
- Monarch (1958-1965), distributed through Charlton Publications and run by Charles Heckelmann, formerly of Popular Library, was a prolific paperback-original house heavy on sleaze, genre and noir; most titles are paperback originals, so the Monarch IS the true first and many never had a hardcover.
- Monarch advertised some titles as 'First Publication Anywhere' on the cover (e.g. Monarch 168 and 444), a contemporaneous flag of an original.
- Short-lived line with few reprints, so most surviving copies are first printings.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Monarch, Monarch Americana. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Monarch Books book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Sequential/letter-coded catalog numbers identify the title: the main line ran from #101 (October 1958) to #563 (December 1965), and the Monarch Americana sub-series (begun January 1960, numbered from #300) carried an MA prefix until that prefix was dropped on books published after January 1964. First printing: no later-printing statement on the copyright page. Monarch rarely reprinted, so the great majority of surviving copies are first printings; a reprint would carry the original number.
Does Monarch Books use a number line?
First printing: no later-printing statement on the copyright page. Monarch rarely reprinted, so the great majority of surviving copies are first printings; a reprint would carry the original number.
Is a book-club edition a Monarch Books first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Monarch (1958-1965), distributed through Charlton Publications and run by Charles Heckelmann, formerly of Popular Library, was a prolific paperback-original house heavy on sleaze, genre and noir; most titles are paperback originals, so the Monarch IS the true first and many never had a hardcover.
What era does this cover?
This covers Monarch Books (1958-1965). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.