An original hardcover edition generally refers to the first printing of a publication in book form. According to bookpoi.com, an online guide dedicated to identifying first edition books and other collectibles, experts may also further categorize a first edition's issue, state or other variants, but usually the first edition refers to the earliest publication of a printed work. Most collectors agree, the hallmark of a book club edition is usually the lack of a price on the front cover of the dust jacket.
There are several other indicators of a book club edition that will also help you determine if you may have a first edition. After the front flap, the next place to look is the back panel of the dust jacket, or if there is no longer a dust jacket, the back cover, which should be made of hardboard. Here, you are looking for a bar code. A book club edition will have a blank bar code, as publishers often use this space to list the book's price.
Other indicators are: the endpapers, which are usually white in a book club edition; other editions will use colored paper. Endpapers are high-quality papers used to "finish" the binding. One side of the paper is glued to the inside front cover while the other end is left loose.
The Book of the Month Club (BOMC) used to imprint a "blind stamp" on the back panel of the book, usually a geometric shape. BOMC also used a dot on the bottom right corner. This practice is no longer used, but it may help you identify a particular book. You may also come across a statement on the copyright page identifying the book as a BOMC issue.
Besides the above characteristics, book buyers should consider the following to ensure an informed purchase.
"Book-of-the-Month Club" designation is often used for marketing purposes; a book with this statement may not be a book club edition.
Book club editions are usually smaller than original editions. The paper quality of a book club edition is also usually inferior to that of an original hardcover copy. The "headband" portion of the book is also an indicator of the type of edition. Less expensive book club editions will generally not include this design element (found at the top binding, see www.mywingsbooks.com for illustrations).
Vertical, short strings of numbers and capital letters printed near the gutter on a back page (just before the endpaper) is another sign of a book club edition. Book club editions also may have four or five numbers printed in a contrasting box on the back of the book.
Many non-book-club publications do not list a price. These include art books, university press books, textbooks and small press books. Prices for these types of books will fluctuate, so this is often intentionally omitted.