How to identify a first printing
- Copyright page states 'First printing' or carries a number line; lowest number present indicates the printing. A '1' in the line = first printing.
- Subsequent printings are noted on the copyright page ('Second printing,' 'Third printing, with corrections,' etc.); absence of any later-printing statement on an unrevised text indicates a first.
- Revised/expanded editions state the new edition and original publication date — these are not first printings of the original first edition.
Notable points & cautions
- Bollingen Series (e.g., the Collected Works of C. G. Jung, the I Ching, Joseph Campbell) was published under Princeton University Press from 1967; Bollingen volumes are commonly reprinted with corrections, so check the printing line and 'with corrections' notes carefully.
- Princeton Classics and Princeton Science Library are reprint/paperback lines — a book in these series is by definition a later issue of an earlier first edition, not a first printing.
- Heavily reprinted academic staples (e.g., Strunk's editions, Kuhn-adjacent titles) keep the same copyright year across printings; rely on the number line, not the copyright date.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Bollingen Series, Princeton Classics, Princeton Science Library, Mythos Series. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Princeton University Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Copyright page states 'First printing' or carries a number line; lowest number present indicates the printing. A '1' in the line = first printing. Subsequent printings are noted on the copyright page ('Second printing,' 'Third printing, with corrections,' etc.); absence of any later-printing statement on an unrevised text indicates a first.
Does Princeton University Press use a number line?
Subsequent printings are noted on the copyright page ('Second printing,' 'Third printing, with corrections,' etc.); absence of any later-printing statement on an unrevised text indicates a first.
Is a book-club edition a Princeton University Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Bollingen Series (e.g., the Collected Works of C. G. Jung, the I Ching, Joseph Campbell) was published under Princeton University Press from 1967; Bollingen volumes are commonly reprinted with corrections, so check the printing line and 'with corrections' notes carefully.
What era does this cover?
This covers Princeton University Press (1905–present (number-line/printing statements standard from the later 20th c.)). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.