A limited edition book is a description of a book which is released in a limited print run quantity, usually much smaller than publishing industry standards, and connotes a level of scarcity or exclusivity. The term also implies that no further additional printings of the book will be released with the same design treatment, unlike open-ended trade editions wherein further copies may be released in more print runs as the first printings are sold out.

Limited edition books may also be numbered or lettered, meaning that there is a marking included in the book stating which copy out of the set of copies the particular book is. For example, a numbered, limited book could have a marking like "1 of 250" or "1/250"; a lettered, limited book could have denotations like "1 of 26" or "1/26" or "A of 26" or "Copy A", etc.

Limited edition books are also sometimes signed by the author

Author

An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...

, illustrator

Illustrator

An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...

 and/or other contributors to make them more exclusive and collectible. In some instances, the limited edition version contains additional material not found in the mass market (or trade) version of the book. Likewise, they are sometimes housed in slipcase

Slipcase

A slipcase is a four or five-sided box, usually made of high-quality cardboard, into which binders, books or book sets are slipped for protection. Special editions of books are often slipcased...

s or traycases/clamshells.