As a collector of First Edition Stephen King books I am here to tell you a way how I spot a TRUE First Edition book. Now I may not have all the facts but through the years this is what I have learned.

1: When looking to buy a True 1st Edition book first note the Dust Jacket (if it comes with one). Inside the Dust Jacket you'll find a price tage (not on all but on many) ,usually in the top corner of the inside front cover, and it will tell you the retail price of the book (i.e. $27.95) Most used book seller/buyers clip/cut these prices off. That is called price clipped and it diminishes the value of your true first edition.

2: On the details page you will see a number line usually like this: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 or 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 & sometimes A B C D E F G H I J depending on the year the book was published or the publisher. If a number line starts with anything other than a #1 or #10 or the letter A it is not a TRUE 1st Edition.

3: Also there are many BCE books also known as Book Club Edition that have a number line as well. These are not TRUE 1st Editions regaurdless of the number line. They are however BCE 1st Editions but are of no value. You will know if it is a book club edition if there is no price on the inside front cover, the book is smaller than the original book or on the spine of the book it wil have BCE.

To find your 1st Edition Books on Ebay you can look in some of these catagories:

Books > Antiquitarian & Collectible
Books > Fiction
Books > NonFiction
Books, Comics & Magazines > First Editions > Fiction > Unsigned

Good luck and I hope my Guide helped you find the path to a TRUE 1st Edition Book!