Business Cycles First Edition
A first edition, first printing of Business Cycles by Joseph A. Schumpeter (McGraw-Hill, 1939) is worth about $5,239 unsigned in near fine condition, based on recorded sales. The first point to check: Title page: “First Edition” with no impression line beneath it (later printings add “Second Impression”, “Third Impression”…), above the McGraw-Hill Book Company imprint, New York and London, 1939, in each of the two volumes.
Market value · Unsigned, near fine
$5,239
Valued from 1 recorded sales in the last 12 months.
What a copy is worth
| Condition | Unsigned |
|---|---|
| Near fine | $5,239 |
| Very good | $4,453 |
How to identify this edition
These points tell this edition apart from other printings and editions of Business Cycles.
✓ Title page: “First Edition” with no impression line beneath it (later printings add “Second Impression”, “Third Impression”…), above the McGraw-Hill Book Company imprint, New York and London, 1939, in each of the two volumes
✓ Copyright page: “Copyright, 1939, by the McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.” and “Printed in the United States of America”, with no impression or printing line
✓ Printer: The Maple Press Company, York, PA
✓ Binding: two volumes in publisher’s burgundy cloth
✓ Price: $10.00 for the two volumes (“Two volumes, not sold separately. $10.00”), at the foot of the jacket’s front panel (jacket rarely present)
Common questions
- How do I know if my copy of Business Cycles is a first edition, first printing?
- ✓ Title page: “First Edition” with no impression line beneath it (later printings add “Second Impression”, “Third Impression”…), above the McGraw-Hill Book Company imprint, New York and London, 1939, in each of the two volumes ✓ Copyright page: “Copyright, 1939, by the McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.” and “Printed in the United States of America”, with no impression or printing line ✓ Printer: The Maple Press Company… The identification points above show each one.
- How much is a first edition, first printing of Business Cycles worth?
- $4,453–$5,239 unsigned, depending on condition and whether it is signed (values as of November 2026). Values come from recorded sales of this exact printing, not asking prices.
- Can I sell my copy of Business Cycles?
- Yes. We value the exact copy from recorded sales and make a firm cash offer, free and with no obligation to sell.
Selling a copy?
We value the exact copy from recorded sales and make a firm cash offer, free and with no obligation. Get an offer.