How many books are usually printed for a 'First Edition'?

The first print run of the last Harry Potter book was 12 million. We managed to lay down that book worldwide to release everywhere at exactly the same time. Phenomenal. We can do that but we can't manage to rescue people from a flood. Next time call a publisher when you have a logistics problem.

There were additional print runs after the first 12 million sold through adn they are all still first editions. A piece of writing is edited and then published. When it is changed in any way, then it becomes a second edition. There is a difference between the number of printings, and the number of editions.

A print run can range from 500 copies for an unknown poet to, obviously, 12 million copies for Rowling depending on the MARKET. Classics are re-printed over and over again. They are still first editions until they are re-edited, or have a new forward, or some other substantial change.

Totally depends on the publisher...and on how many copies they think they will sell.

With the later Harry Potter books it was millions, not thousands.