Beware the BCE…
Collect books long enough, and you’ll run into book club editions (BCEs) of your favorite novels. These are often less valuable and sought after by collectors, as they are not first editions, and often had more copies printed than the first edition. With more supply, prices of these book club editions diminishes.
Fortunately, in many, many cases it’s easy to identify BCEs. The first place to look is the dust jacket. Many book club editions don’t include prices on the dust jacket. They also often state “Book Club Edition” somewhere on the inside front flap, many times at the bottom. The dust jacket also - in some cases - includes a different design than the first edition. Doing some research on a site like www.biblio.com can help determine what a true first edition dust jacket should look like.
The BCE of Anthony Burgess's "A Clockwork Orange" is easy to identify by looking at the dust jacket. The front of the dust jacket features the same design as the first U.S. version of the book; however the dust jacket doesn't include a price and states, "Book Club Edition."
But what if the book doesn’t include a dust jacket? In many cases the boards of first editions are different colors than the book club editions.
However, for some books, identifying book club editions can be much more difficult. The dust jackets may be nearly identical. In these cases, the single identifying factor may be a small stamp or imprint on the back board. Other points may include the copyright date. For some book club editions, the date was printed in roman numerals. This is the case for the book club version of “Gone With the Wind.”
All this is not to say that all BCEs are valueless. Book Club Editions of Frank Herbert’s “Dune” are sought after, particularly if they include the dust jacket, and can fetch between $100 and $200, even more if they are in fine condition. The Quill and Parchment recently sold a “Dune” BCE for $65. This can be an affordable option for collectors who can’t shell out tens of thousands of dollars for a true first edition.
Book Club Editions of Frank Herbert's "Dune" can be a cheaper alternative to collecting a true first edition.
In the end, if you find a book that you suspect may be a BCE, do your research, and buy from reputable sellers.
