Publishers fix mistakes, change suppliers and reprice jackets as a book sells. Each change leaves a trace that separates one printing from the next, and collectors have catalogued many of them. These traces are points of issue.
Common kinds of point
- Text: a misprint or a missing word in the first printing that is corrected later.
- Copyright page: the wording of the first published statement, the printer's name or the absence of later impressions.
- Binding: the colour of the cloth or boards, the lettering on the spine, the publisher's device.
- Jacket: the price on the front flap, the reviews or adverts on the back, the list of other titles on the rear flap.
- Illustrations: the number or type of plates, black and white against colour.
Issue and state
Bibliographers draw a distinction you will see in catalogues:
- A state is a variant created during the printing, before publication, such as a correction made part way through the run.
- An issue is a deliberate change made after some copies were released, such as a cancelled leaf or a new title page.
Definitions vary a little between bibliographers, but the practical point is the same: some "first editions" exist in more than one form, and the earliest is usually worth the most.
How MyVolumes treats points
We list a point on an edition page only where two independent sources agree, and we write each one in our own words. Points we cannot confirm stay off the public page. If you know of a point we have missed, tell us and send the source.
Using points well
- Check all of them. One point can be shared by an early reprint. The full set is what identifies a printing.
- Know where each point is. Our edition pages give the location (page, flap, binding) beside each point.
- Points apply to the book, not the jacket. Jackets were sometimes swapped between copies. A first printing in a later jacket is a married copy.
- Points can be faked. A replaced leaf or a facsimile jacket can be convincing. For valuable books, buy from a reputable seller who describes the points.
Frequently asked questions
What is a point of issue?
A documented detail, such as a misprint, binding colour or jacket price, that separates the first printing of a book from later printings.
What is the difference between a state and an issue?
A state is a variant made during printing, before publication; an issue is a deliberate change made after some copies were released. Both can split a first edition into earlier and later forms.
Is one point enough to prove a first printing?
No. Some points carried over into early reprints. Check every point recorded for the book together with the copyright page and jacket.
Where these facts come from
- Bibliographical terms as used in antiquarian booksellers' catalogues
- MyVolumes edition pages (two-source rule)
Points of issue are listed only where at least two independent sources agree. Last reviewed 16 October 2026.
Last reviewed 16 October 2026.