Hello. Thank you for reading my guide. If you have a few minutes, I'll try to clear up some confusion and misconceptions regarding Harry Potter First Editions. This guide will get you started but is by no means complete....

Many Buyers and Sellers are not sure how to correctly determine when a Harry Potter book is a collectible edition. Some are confused by the phrase First Edition versus the phrase First Printing. To be collectible and possibly valuable, the book must be the First Printing of the First Edition.

Why do so many sellers describe their Harry Potter book as a First Edition? Because most Harry Potter books say First Edition in them. To be collectible a Harry Potter book must say First Edition and be a first printing.

OK, so how do I tell if a Harry Potter book is a First Printing? A few items to look for .... All copies of Harry Potter books have a number line on the Copyright page that looks something like "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1". If the number goes all the way down to "1" you could have a first printing. If the line stops at a higher number you do not have a first printing even though the phrase First Edition is still present. Also, a first printing will have the price printed on the inside flap and the ten digit ISBN number will be printed on the back of the jacket. If you wish to buy a collectible first printing be sure that the number line on the Copyright Page goes all the way down to 1 and the jacket has its price printed on the inside and the ISBN number is printed on the back of the jacket. If you are selling a Harry Potter book as a first edition, please list the numbers you see on the Copyright page so the buyer will know what printing they are getting. Collectors are looking for a first printing though they may refer to it as a "First Edition". See picture below: