caveat emptor

When I caution folk on the dangers of laymen identifying 1st editions, This is the sort of thing I mean.

"This book is a 1st American Edition{as stated on the copyright page} in hardback. "

Which is technically true.
But it isn't a first printing, which pegs its value as a collectible at precisely zero.

They were diligent enough to provide an image of the copyright page, which tells the tale:


The absence of a '1' in the number line indicates a later printing (n this case, anyway- with used books there are always numerous exceptions to every rule).

An actual collectible 1st edition of this particular book would look like this.


And a quick bookseller tip for nascent Harry Potter collectors- if that 'valuable first edition' of the first or second book has a YEAR 1 or YEAR 2 stamp on the spine or DJ...it's not a 1st. They were added to later printings when the phenomenon started to really take off.