Points of Issue

Points are physical attributes that are specific to a printing or edition of a book, such as a typo on a specific page that was corrected in later printings of a book. An issue of a book is a specific change in the book during the printing of an edition. A first edition of a book may sometimes have two or more states, which would be defined by a change or correction in the text, binding style, or any other physical feature of the book during the first edition printing. In fact, the difference between a first and second state book can often number several distinctions. Typically, the first state of a first printing would be the most desirable copy for a book collector, although there are several notable exceptions to this rule.

A descriptive bibliography is a helpful - sometimes necessary - resource for collectors seeking to identify specific points of issue for a particular work.