How to identify a first printing
- Trade-paperback convention: the first Plume printing states "First Plume Printing" (often with a year) and/or carries a number line whose lowest digit is 1.
- The number line is the tell for the printing; treat the lowest digit as decisive.
- Caution: 'First Plume Printing' marks the first Plume (paperback) printing, which is frequently a reprint of a work first published earlier in hardcover by another house or imprint — it is not necessarily a true first edition of the text.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1970 as the trade-paperback imprint of New American Library (NAL); came under the Dutton/Penguin structure later through the NAL–Penguin consolidation, and now sits within the Penguin Publishing Group under Penguin Random House.
- Primarily a reprint line with occasional paperback originals, so 'First Plume Printing' usually signals format-first, not edition-first.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Plume. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Plume book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Trade-paperback convention: the first Plume printing states "First Plume Printing" (often with a year) and/or carries a number line whose lowest digit is 1. The number line is the tell for the printing; treat the lowest digit as decisive.
Does Plume use a number line?
The number line is the tell for the printing; treat the lowest digit as decisive.
Is a book-club edition a Plume first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1970 as the trade-paperback imprint of New American Library (NAL); came under the Dutton/Penguin structure later through the NAL–Penguin consolidation, and now sits within the Penguin Publishing Group under Penguin Random House.
What era does this cover?
This covers Plume (1970–present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.