A Guide to Understanding Number Lines in Books by Craig Stark #91, 26 March 2007

First edition identification can be a complex and sometimes maddening task, but there's no question that books published in recent years are easier to nail down than those 50, 100 or more years old, largely due to the introduction some decades ago of the so-called number line. The assumption is that number lines (also called printer's codes or keys) designate precise printing states and thus aid significantly in first edition identification.

Example:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

If it begins with a '1,' it's likely a first printing.

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

A second printing, and so on.

Here are some common variations:

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1

Sometimes letters are used in place of numbers:

A B C D E F G H I J

And sometimes lines include two sets of numbers, one referring to printing years, one to printings, but it's all pretty straightforward, right? Something we can at least figure out? Ok, if you think you know your number lines, let's take a test to see just how good you are. Write down the printing state of each of the following (by the way, this is not an open book test):

1. (Preceded by statement "First Edition.") 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 (Random House)

2. G6E4C (Orchises Press)

3. ABCDEFGHIJK 7987 (Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.)

4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 (Arte Publico Press)

5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 R 78 77 76 75 (Children's Press)

6. 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1 (Scholastic Press)

7. 00 01 02 03 04 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 (Osprey)

8. 0 2 4 6 8 A 9 7 5 3 1 (Random House)

9. 12 14 16 18 20 19 17 15 13 11 (Rodale Press)

10. 76 2M 12735 (Brigham Young University Press)