Does the Edition Number Matter? Low Numbers, Edition Sizes and Collector Myths

For most contemporary limited editions, the individual edition number does not change the quality of a print and rarely changes its value. What matters far more is the edition size, the image, its condition and its paperwork. A number can still matter to you personally, and that is a perfectly good reason to care about it.

Our complete guide to collecting limited edition prints touches on this briefly. Here we go further, looking at where the low number belief comes from and what deserves your attention instead.

Reading the fraction

A limited edition is usually numbered as a fraction, such as 7/25. The top figure identifies that particular print. The bottom figure is the size of the main edition.

Of the two, the bottom figure is the more useful. It tells you how many examples exist, and scarcity is one of the few things that reliably shapes demand. We show the edition size on every product page for exactly this reason.

Where the low number belief comes from

The preference for early numbers has its roots in traditional printmaking. When an image was pulled from an etched plate or a carved block, the surface could wear a little over a long run, so the first impressions were sometimes sharper. Collectors learned to ask for them, and the habit stuck.

Modern editions are made differently:

• Giclée prints are made on high-resolution inkjet printers using long-lasting pigment inks, so every example in the run is effectively the same.

• Screenprints are built up one colour at a time across the whole run, so no single sheet is finished before the others.

In practice, numbers are usually added at the signing stage, in whatever order the prints come to hand. A print marked 3 is very unlikely to differ from one marked 23.

Three myths worth retiring

"Number 1 is always the valuable one"

Some buyers love owning the first number, and occasionally someone pays extra for it. There is no guarantee a later buyer will do the same. A first number in poor condition will not outshine a well-kept print further down the run.

"The last number is second best"

There is nothing in how modern editions are produced to support this. The final print in a run is made to the same standard as the rest.

"Any low number is a sound investment"

Paying extra for a low number in the hope that it will grow in value is a gamble. Values can fall as well as rise, and our article on whether limited edition art is a good investment looks at what tends to hold value across artists.

Edition size: the number that does matter

Edition sizes vary enormously, and the range on our own listings shows why it is worth checking:

• Carnival Time (Deluxe) by Jean Picton is a Deluxe Studio Edition on canvas in an edition of just 10.

• Salisbury Cathedral (Small) by Colin Brown is a limited edition giclée in an edition of 21.

• Elmo Unchained by Brad Robson is on canvas in an edition of 25.

• Wolverine #17 by Marvel - Stan Lee is a signed limited edition paper print in an edition of 295.

A small edition is scarcer by definition, but size is only one factor. A larger edition of a much-loved image can be just as hard to find once it sells out, so read edition size alongside the artist, the subject and the medium.

Artist's Proofs and the numbered run

Artist's Proofs sit outside the main numbering. Master of Ceremonies by Jack Vettriano, for example, is an edition of 100 plus 10 Artist's Proofs. The image is identical, but there are far fewer proofs, which is why many collectors are drawn to them. Our post on Night Calls by Jack Vettriano, an Artist's Proof 1 of 10, shows one in detail.

When a number really is worth caring about

The strongest case for a particular number is personal. Collectors often look for one that echoes:

• a birthday, wedding date or anniversary

• a year of birth

• a house number or lucky number

That can turn a print into a memorable gift. Popular numbers may already have gone once an edition is selling, so if one matters to you, it is worth asking before you order.

What to weigh before the number

• The image. Buy what you will enjoy living with.

• Edition size. Shown on every product page.

• Condition. Look for no fading, creasing or marks.

• Paperwork. Every piece we sell comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

• Medium. Canvas, giclée on paper and screenprint each have their own character.

Frequently asked questions

Will a low edition number be worth more?

Rarely, for contemporary editions. Examples across an edition are made to the same standard, and numbers are normally assigned at signing.

What does 7/25 mean?

It means this is print number 7 in a main edition of 25.

Is a smaller edition always more valuable?

Not automatically. Scarcity helps, but demand for the artist and image counts too, and values can fall as well as rise.

Is an Artist's Proof a better print?

The image is the same. A proof is scarcer, which many collectors value, but it is not a different or superior print.

Choose the picture first

Whatever number arrives with your print, the pleasure is in the image. Our featured piece, Carnival Time (Deluxe) by Jean Picton, is £995 at the time of writing in an edition of only 10. You might also compare Salisbury Cathedral (Small) at £295 or Elmo Unchained at £1,895, both at the time of writing. Every delivery, in the UK or abroad, is fully insured.