OK so there’s writing on the back. Now is there a price on the back? If so, you can use this chart to date your book pretty precisely.
| 2,6 Net | 1965 – February 1971 |
| 2/6 Net 121/2p | February 1971 – May 1971 |
| 15p | 1 June 1971 – 30 April 1974 |
| 18p | 1 May 1974 – 15 June 1975 |
| 24p | 16 June 1975 – 10 January 1978 |
| 30p | 11 January 1978 – 24 June 1979 |
| 40p | 25 June 1979 – 31 December 1980 |
| 50p | 1 January 1981 – 30 June 1982 |
| 60p | 1 July 1982 – 31 December 1983 |
| 70p | 1 January 1984 – 31 December 1985 |
| 75p | 1 January 1985 – 31 December 1986 |
| 85p | 1 January 1987 – 31 December 1987 |
| 90p | 1 January 1988 – 31 December 1988 |
| 99p | From January 1 1989 |
You may also find the following helpful: using the ‘tally number’ to put a date on a book. (Sometimes books were printed but then stored in the warehouse for long periods before having a price stamped on and being distributed. So a tally number can also be helpful).
A ‘tally number’ is the number often mentioned on the back, telling you how many titles there are. EG:
- 140 circa 1965
- 150-170 from 1966
- 190-200 from 1967
- 210-225 from 1968
- 230-260 from 1969
- 270-280 from 1970/1
- 290 from 1971/2
- 300 from 1972
- 320-340 from 1973/4
- 350-370 from 1974/5
(Having established the age, you can now check to see if your book is a first edition, using need these pages)
No, no price on the back. Click here