Anyone who isn't an anal-retentive collector type might want to leave now...

Anyway, not that it really matters, since I think I read that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince had the largest print run in history, but this has got me baffled. As I do with all books, when I picked up my copy of the latest Harry Potter, I checked the copyright page for an indication of first edition, as well as the telltale number line leading to 1, as in

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
First Edition

That's a fairly standard indication of whether you have a first. But the copy of Harry Potter I found on debut day had this on the copyright page:

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 ... 05 06 07 08 09
Printed in the USA 23
First American edition, July 2005

I've seen some publishers begin actual first-edition number lines with the 2 (notably Random House), so even though I was confused by that weird "23," I bought it.

Cut to a week later: Last night while poking around Target, I found a copy with this on the copyright page:

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ... 05 06 07 08 09
Printed in the USA 56
First American edition, July 2005

What the hell is going on here? It appears that this is the true first edition, because it has the complete number line, but what on earth is the "56"? Does that indicate the type of retail outlet the book has gone to? Does it indicate one of several printing facilities? I'm lost.

56th print run?

Actually, I have little/no idea but there are some potentially useful links in this earlier thread:

• How to tell if a book is a first edition? [merged]

Anybody care to share what appears on their copyright pages? I'd like to get more examples from around the country, so that I can get an idea about the method to Scholastic's madness. (I'm only interested in the US edition here.)

Got mine Saturday morning at 10am on release day in Metro Detroit area.

My line reads:

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 05 06 07 08 09
Printed in the U.S.A 23
First American edition, July 2005

I bought mine at 8 AM on the Saturday release date at Target.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 05 06 07 08 09
Printed in the U.S.A. 37
First American edition, July 2005

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 05 06 07 08 09
Printed in the U.S.A. 56
First American edition, July 2005

I think the 05 06 07... line refers to printed year. The # following the Printed in the U.S.A. is probably the print run.

Good thinking about the 05 notation. Out of curiosity, when did you buy your copy, Nefarious?

I also noticed that the two editions I looked at appeared slightly different. The dustjacket coloring was much lighter on the first copy I found, with paper that appeared quite different (a tad thicker, and slightly more cream-colored) from the later copy. That leads me to believe they came from different printing facilities.

We were on our way to Gulf Shores, AL for a family vacation. I had to cancel my Amazon pre-order. I ended up just hitting the first Wal-Mart store I came across in Mississippi on Saturday and they had several copies.

I had a first UK edition of both Goblet of Fire and Order Of The Phoenix with the:
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
First Edition

type in the front.

The printing facility is listed on the last printed page where they talk also talk about the type of paper and the typeset.

Yeah, sorry, another Harry Potter thread.

Just wondering, what's the deal with American HP Deluxe editions? In the UK each book is available in a Deulxe version, as well as a regular and adult version. In the US it seems there are only Deluxe editions for Chamber of Secrets (a "Collector's Edition"), Order of the Phoenix, and Half-Blood Prince.

http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/books/

When Book 7 is out, I'm sure a boxed set will be released, and I was hoping for all the volumes in deluxe editions. Right now I only have Canadian regular ("children's") editions to read, and might get a boxset of the deluxe editions when Book 7 comes out, but would really like a set of the American editions for deluxe, since the artwork is much better.

Sorcerer's Stone had a leather-bound "collector's edition" as well ....

It's not available on Amazon or B&N and there's no ISBN listen on the Scholastic site.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Collector's Edition at Amazon

All of the HP books have had "deluxe" editions AFAIK. Whether or not all are still in print I have no idea (but I doubt it).

Thanks. Strange that it didn't show up on the Scholastic list of ISBNs and when I checked Amazon. But regardless, it seems to be OOP. Damn... Oh well I'm sure the milking will begin when Book 7 is out, and all sorts of boxed set will be available. Maybe they'll release uniform Deulxe American editions, to all look like the Half-Blood Prince Deluxe.

I've never seen deluxe "American" editions of POA or GOF ... do those exist?

I read somewhere that the "Printed in the U.S.A. 37"
Indicates the print facility that printed the book.
There are a few numbers that pop up since they have a few facilities and in mexico also but it will say mexico with the number to indicate it.
The main numbers to look at for a first edition it the line above the "Printed in the U.S.A. 37"

It will look like this for lets say a first edition Deathly hallows:
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 07 08 09 10 11

The first 10 numbers counting down from 10 to 1 indicate with the one present that it is a fist print run of that edition. The numbers to the right 07 08 09 10 11 has the 07 present for the year 2007.
The 08 would be for 2008 and the 09 for 2009 but the lowest number always stands for that issue.
Having what they call the full number line 10 to 1 and the year of print showing the correct year it was released is what they call a 1/1 edition or first first, or first edition first print etc etc
Later prints will take out the numbers not needed so lets say in 2008 the 4th print run was sent out it would look like this:
14 13 12 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 08 09 10 11 (roughly) I dont have a copy but that just to show the pattern.


It can look different depending on the book for instance The Sorcerer's Stone number line looks like this:

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 8 9/9 0/0 01 02
Printed in the U.S.A. 23


So the one (1) is the first number then the 2 in at the end and it goes back and fourth with 10 in the middle. Go over a couple spaces the 8 indicates 1998 and 9/9 is 1999 0/0 is 2000 then 0/1 is 2001 etc.
The 23 is the print facility it was printed at.

I am a collector but I dont know everything but this is how I understand it, if Im wrong I do apolagize but I think its correct but Im no expert (lol)

Another example is later books reprinted or special like one I have here in front of me have a good number line to help explain.
I have a Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone reinforced Library Edition and the number line area is like this:

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 03 04 05 06 07
Printed in the U.S.A. 23
Reinforced Library Edition, November 2003

So I have the full number line showing its a first edition but its the first edition of this Library run printed in 2003. the 03 04 05 06 07 to the right indicate it was printed in 2003 and at the bottom where it says Reinforced Library Edition, November 2003 is saying they started the printing in 2003
and ofcourse the middle line with 23 in it indicates the print facility that produced it.


One last thing about the USA editions, all USA edition say at the bottom "First American Edition, Printed ____ _____" with date when the print started for that book so you could have a 40th print run printed 5 years after the release date which leads some to believe they have a sought after first edition when infact they have a copy that may still be in the first edition run is actually the 40th time they did a print run with corrections and such is confusing to some sellers like on ebay they will list them as first first editions not understanding and just going by the fact it says first American edition printed on whatever date then the buyer gets boned..
The bloomsbury books I like there system, it simply says first edition. If it says first edition then its a first edition and later prints will switch to the number line and the words first edition is removed..

Hope this helps someone out there.

Peace