Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005)

The Bloomsbury first edition of Half-Blood Prince was published on 16 July 2005 under the ISBN 0 7475 8108 8, with 607 pages. Check the copyright page for a first edition statement and the ISBN, and confirm that the book is the standard children's edition.

The first printing was very large, so a first edition is common. That means value rests almost entirely on condition, the jacket, and any verified signature or inscription.

What to look for:

• ISBN 0 7475 8108 8 for the children's edition.
• A first edition statement on the copyright page.
• Pictorial boards under a pictorial dust jacket.

The main trap is the adult-cover edition, published the same day under a different ISBN. It is a separate edition, valued separately, so check the number before comparing prices.

You will see listings that describe a misprint on page 99 as a first edition point. We have not yet been able to confirm it against a reliable source, so do not pay a premium for it until it is verified.

For grading, look at the jacket first. A bright, unclipped jacket without tears at the spine ends makes the biggest difference to price on a book this common.

Sources: the National Library of Scotland's note on the 2005 release, dealer descriptions, and Open Library's edition records.