Is My Copy of To Kill a Mockingbird a First Edition? How to Identify
You have a copy of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and you want to know if it’s a genuine first edition, first printing. This is one of the most frequently asked questions in book collecting — Mockingbird is simultaneously one of the best-known and most forged American first editions, and the gap between a first printing and a book club edition is worth tens of thousands of dollars.
The Quick Answer
A true first edition, first printing of To Kill a Mockingbird was published by J.B. Lippincott Company in July 1960 with a cover price of $3.95. The most reliable identifiers are the publisher’s code on the copyright page and the absence of “Pulitzer Prize” mention on the jacket.
Step-by-Step Identification
Step 1: Check the Publisher
The title page must read J.B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York. If your copy says any other publisher (Warner, Grand Central, HarperCollins), it is a later reprint.
Step 2: Check the Copyright Page
First Edition statement. J.B. Lippincott first printings carry the words “First Edition” on the copyright page. This is necessary but not sufficient — some later printings also carried this designation.
Publisher’s code. The copyright page should also show no additional printing designations. Some bibliographers look for specific Lippincott codes. The key indicator is the absence of later-printing marks.
Copyright: “Copyright © 1960 by Harper Lee.”
Step 3: Check the Binding
First printing binding:
- Brown/tan cloth boards with green-stamped spine text (some describe the boards as “light brown” or “wheat”)
- Dark green lettering on the spine
- The binding quality is standard Lippincott trade production
Step 4: Check the Dust Jacket
The dust jacket is critical for both identification and value:
- Front panel: Features a silhouetted tree design in greens and browns
- $3.95 price on the front flap
- First printing jackets do not mention the Pulitzer Prize (awarded in May 1961, after publication)
- Author photo on the rear panel by Truman Capote (credited)
- Rear panel features Capote’s photo credit and blurb or author biography
Critical point: If the jacket mentions the Pulitzer Prize, it is a later printing jacket (post-May 1961). A first printing book with a later jacket is significantly less valuable than a fully matched first printing copy.
Step 5: Rule Out Book Club Editions
This is the most common confusion. Book club editions of To Kill a Mockingbird are extremely common because the novel was selected by multiple book clubs. They superficially resemble the trade first edition but differ in important ways:
- No price on the dust jacket flap (the single most reliable indicator)
- May have a blind stamp or debossed circle on the rear board
- Smaller dimensions — book club editions are often slightly smaller
- Lighter weight — cheaper paper stock
- Different binding cloth — often a slightly different texture or color
Many people who believe they own a first edition actually own a book club edition. Always check the jacket flap for a price.
What Is My Copy Worth?
True First Edition, First Printing
Lippincott printed approximately 5,000 copies of the first printing — a modest run for a debut novel by an unknown author. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize in May 1961, became a massive bestseller, and has never gone out of print. Those 5,000 first-printing copies are the only ones that matter to collectors, and their survival rate in fine condition is low after more than sixty years.
| Condition | Without Dust Jacket | With Dust Jacket |
|---|---|---|
| Fine/Fine | $15,000–$25,000 | $30,000–$60,000 |
| Near Fine/Near Fine | $8,000–$15,000 | $20,000–$40,000 |
| Very Good/Very Good | $3,000–$8,000 | $10,000–$20,000 |
| Good/Good | $1,000–$3,000 | $5,000–$10,000 |
Signed Copies
Harper Lee was a deeply private person who did not sign books willingly for most of her life. Signed copies are scarce. After her fame became overwhelming, she reportedly expressed frustration with autograph seekers. Lee lived in Monroeville, Alabama, and occasionally signed books for local acquaintances or at private events, but she did not do the book tours, readings, or signing events that produce large quantities of signed copies.
In her later years (particularly after the controversial publication of Go Set a Watchman in 2015), Lee’s ability to sign was in question — concerns about her health and mental capacity raised ethical questions about signatures obtained in this period.
| Condition | Value |
|---|---|
| Signed, Fine/Fine | $50,000–$100,000+ |
| Signed, Near Fine/Near Fine | $30,000–$60,000 |
| Inscribed with meaningful content | $60,000–$150,000+ |
Advance Reading Copy (ARC)
The ARC or proof copy of Mockingbird is extraordinarily rare:
- Value: $30,000–$75,000
Common Questions
My copy has “First Edition” on the copyright page but also mentions the Pulitzer Prize on the jacket. What is it?
It is most likely a later printing with the “First Edition” designation still present (Lippincott did not always remove this text promptly) or a first printing book that was re-jacketed with a later dust jacket. In either case, it is not a true first printing in its original state and is worth significantly less than a fully authentic copy.
How do I distinguish a first printing from a second or third printing?
Later printings were produced rapidly after the Pulitzer Prize announcement. They typically add the Pulitzer mention to the jacket and may have additional printing statements on the copyright page. The binding may also differ slightly in color or quality. Careful comparison with bibliographic references (Matthew Bruccoli’s descriptive bibliography of Harper Lee is the standard reference) is essential.
Is Go Set a Watchman a first edition worth collecting?
Go Set a Watchman (2015, HarperCollins) had an enormous first printing — millions of copies — and is not scarce. Signed copies do have value ($500–$2,000), but the book’s controversial publication history (questions about Lee’s consent, the discovery that it was actually an early draft of Mockingbird) complicates its collecting status. It is not remotely comparable in value to Mockingbird first editions.
My copy has a Capote photo credit on the jacket. Is that normal?
Yes — Truman Capote, Lee’s childhood friend (and the inspiration for the character Dill in the novel), took the author photograph used on the first edition jacket. The Capote photo credit is expected on genuine first printing jackets and adds to the literary-historical significance of the artifact. Both Lee and Capote were from Monroeville, Alabama, and their lifelong friendship is one of the great stories in American literary history.