Are ISBN book #s unique?

Nocturnal

Lifer
Jan 8, 2002
18,927
0
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Like I found the book I need for my class at Amazon by searching for the ISBN and it's much cheaper. However, I'm not sure if this is the actual book/version. So, are ISBN #s unique in that there is only one book with that specific ISBN # or can revisions share ISBN #s?
 

sygyzy

Lifer
Oct 21, 2000
14,001
4
76
They aren't unique. Sometimes when I am bored, I try entering random ISBN numbers into a search engine. You win if you get more than one hit. So far, I've only come up empty.
 

t3h l337 n3wb

Platinum Member
Apr 22, 2005
2,698
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76
No, they're not. Once, I ordered the 9th edition of a book on Amazon marketplace. I got the 8th edition instead, and it turns out that they had the same ISBN number.
 

wfbberzerker

Lifer
Apr 12, 2001
10,423
0
0
Originally posted by: t3h l337 n3wb
No, they're not. Once, I ordered the 9th edition of a book on Amazon marketplace. I got the 8th edition instead, and it turns out that they had the same ISBN number.

i'm not sure that would count, since wouldn't the 9th edition technically be considered a replacement for the 8th?
 

Gibson486

Lifer
Aug 9, 2000
18,378
2
0
Originally posted by: wfbberzerker
Originally posted by: t3h l337 n3wb
No, they're not. Once, I ordered the 9th edition of a book on Amazon marketplace. I got the 8th edition instead, and it turns out that they had the same ISBN number.

i'm not sure that would count, since wouldn't the 9th edition technically be considered a replacement for the 8th?


no, the isbn changes after a new edition. He just got ripped off, that's all.
 

Eeezee

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2005
9,922
0
76
Originally posted by: Gibson486
Originally posted by: wfbberzerker
Originally posted by: t3h l337 n3wb
No, they're not. Once, I ordered the 9th edition of a book on Amazon marketplace. I got the 8th edition instead, and it turns out that they had the same ISBN number.

i'm not sure that would count, since wouldn't the 9th edition technically be considered a replacement for the 8th?


no, the isbn changes after a new edition. He just got ripped off, that's all.

Exactly, the publisher screwed up and gave the new edition the same ISBN as the old edition.

The ISBN is like a model number, it's supposed to be unique.
 

Qwest

Diamond Member
Jan 21, 2001
3,169
0
0
umm, i work in publishing. when a book gets reprinted here, it holds the same isbn, even if the price increases or the cover changes.

however, if the page count changes, then it's a whole new isbn.



 

RaDragon

Diamond Member
May 23, 2000
4,123
1
71
The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a machine-readable identification number. It links to information on the book?s title, author, subject, price, publisher, edition, format, intended audience, and market. All of this information is used to distinguish between books, so no two books will be exactly alike and customers will always be sure that they are ordering the correct book.

For more information on ISBNs visit http://www.isbn.org/standards/home/isbn/us/isbnqa.asp.