What Was the First Edition Print Run of Blood Meridian?

The first edition print run of Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West (Random House, 1985) was approximately 5,000–7,500 copies — a modest run that helps explain why this novel has become one of the most valuable American first editions of the late twentieth century.

Why the Run Was Small

In 1985, Cormac McCarthy was a critically respected but commercially unsuccessful novelist. His previous four novels — The Orchard Keeper (1965), Outer Dark (1968), Child of God (1973), and Suttree (1979) — had all been published to strong reviews and poor sales. Random House, which published Blood Meridian through its main imprint, printed a standard literary-fiction first run for an author with McCarthy’s commercial track record: enough copies to supply initial orders from bookstores and reviewers, with modest expectations for sell-through.

McCarthy was not yet the Cormac McCarthy of popular culture. He would not achieve commercial breakthrough until All the Pretty Horses (1992), seven years after Blood Meridian’s publication. In 1985, he was a writer’s writer living in near-poverty in El Paso, Texas — an author whose commercial prospects did not justify a large first printing.

How This Compares to Other McCarthy Firsts

The pattern is stark: McCarthy’s pre-commercial-breakthrough novels had tiny print runs, while his Knopf-era novels (after All the Pretty Horses) had runs ten to twenty times larger. This is why early McCarthy first editions are so much more valuable than later ones — the supply of Blood Meridian first printings is a fraction of the supply of The Road first printings, while demand for both is driven by the same canonical author.

Survival Rates

Of the estimated 5,000–7,500 copies printed, a significant proportion have been lost, damaged, or degraded over forty years:

• Library copies — many first printings went to libraries, where they were read, stamped, and eventually deaccessioned. Ex-library copies retain some collector value but are heavily discounted.
• Read copies — Blood Meridian is a violent, demanding novel that people tend to read intensely. Many copies show heavy reading wear.
• Dust jacket loss — the jacket is the primary value driver, and many copies from the 1980s lost their jackets through handling, moves, or the common 1980s practice of discarding jackets.
• Remaindering — some first printing copies were remaindered (sold at discount to clear unsold stock), indicated by a spray mark or line on the bottom edge. Remaindered copies are first printings but command lower prices.

Conservative estimate: of the 5,000–7,500 copies originally printed, perhaps 1,500–3,000 survive in collectible condition (Very Good or better), and perhaps 300–800 survive in Fine/Fine condition with intact dust jackets. These numbers are rough — no census exists — but they illustrate the genuine scarcity of collector-grade copies.

What the Print Run Means for Value

The small print run is one of four factors that drive Blood Meridian’s high values:

1. Limited supply — 5,000–7,500 copies, with perhaps 300–800 surviving in Fine/Fine condition
2. Growing demand — McCarthy’s critical reputation has expanded steadily, and his death in 2023 permanently fixed the supply of signed copies
3. Canonical recognition — literary critics increasingly regard Blood Meridian as one of the greatest American novels, period
4. No reprint dilution — Random House never issued a separately collectible limited edition or special printing that would compete for collector attention

Current values for first printings in Fine/Fine condition: $15,000–$40,000 unsigned, $40,000–$100,000+ signed. These values have increased approximately 10–15% annually over the past decade, driven by the factors above.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I verify my copy is a first printing?

Check the copyright page for the “First Edition” statement and the complete number line ending in “2” (Random House’s convention for this era). The flap price should be $16.95. See the full identification guide for detailed instructions.

Did Random House do a second printing?

Yes — after Blood Meridian received strong reviews and steady word-of-mouth demand, Random House went back to press. Later printings are identified by the absence of the “First Edition” statement or by a number line that starts at a higher number. Second and third printings have modest collector value ($200–$500 depending on condition).

Is the print run figure exact?

No. Random House does not publicly disclose exact print run figures for most titles, and records from 1985 are not readily accessible. The 5,000–7,500 estimate is based on: comparisons with known print runs of similar literary fiction from the same era, the book’s initial commercial performance, the frequency with which first printings appear in the market, and information from dealers and auction specialists who have handled large numbers of McCarthy first editions over decades. The true figure could be slightly higher or lower, but the order of magnitude is well established.

How does Blood Meridian’s print run compare to other McCarthy first editions?

The pattern is clear: McCarthy’s early novels had tiny print runs that grew modestly with each book. The breakthrough came with All the Pretty Horses, which received a much larger first printing in anticipation of — and in response to — commercial success. For collectors, the pre-Horses novels represent the scarcity tier, while The Road and later titles are more accessible.

For collectors who cannot afford the five-figure prices that Blood Meridian first printings now command, Child of God (1973) and Outer Dark (1968) offer comparable scarcity at somewhat lower price points — though all of McCarthy’s early Random House novels are climbing steadily as his canonical status solidifies.