The first Bloomsbury paperback of Half-Blood Prince appeared in 2006, a year after the hardback. We list it under the ISBN 0 7475 8466 4, which Open Library records as the 2006 paperback edition.
Bloomsbury published several paperbacks of this title in 2006, including an adult-cover edition, and they have different ISBNs. Match the number on your copy before comparing prices, because each edition is valued on its own.
How to check the printing:
- On the copyright page, look for a statement of edition and a number line.
- A number line ending in 1 indicates the first printing of that paperback. Later printings drop numbers from the end.
We have not yet confirmed the copyright page wording of the first printing, so treat claims of a first paperback printing with caution until you have seen the page itself.
Collectors buy this paperback mainly to complete a set of first paperbacks in matching condition. Ordinary read copies are worth very little. What stands out is an early printing that looks new: a flat spine, sharp corners and bright colours on the cover. If you are building a set, try to match the condition across all seven titles, because an even set is more appealing than one with a single standout.
Format, date and ISBN come from Open Library's edition records.