What Is an Old Book Worth?
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The Value of Old Books - Is Yours Worth Anything?
Do you have an old book that you think is worth a lot?
Quite often, a person would came into the public library to ask the librarian about the value of an old book they owned. I handled this question many times in my thirty years as a librarian. Often I had to disappoint the person when I researched what the price was for their vintage book. Not all old books are collector's items or are even wanted by book buyers.
Of course, librarians are not book appraisers, but I found a number of useful tools to help someone figure out the value of their old book. Check below to determine what price someone would pay for that old book you have. I've taken several old books through the process of estimating the value so you can see how it works.
Quite often, a person would came into the public library to ask the librarian about the value of an old book they owned. I handled this question many times in my thirty years as a librarian. Often I had to disappoint the person when I researched what the price was for their vintage book. Not all old books are collector's items or are even wanted by book buyers.
Of course, librarians are not book appraisers, but I found a number of useful tools to help someone figure out the value of their old book. Check below to determine what price someone would pay for that old book you have. I've taken several old books through the process of estimating the value so you can see how it works.
Contents at a Glance
- Is the Book Signed by the Author?
- Old Books Price Guide That Lists 25,000...
- A Little Humor about Book Appraisals
- Hot Auctions for Old Books on eBay
- Links about Old Books and Their Values
- Start with Bookfinder to Determine the P...
- Find the Value of a Book on BOOKFINDER
- Books about Book Collecting
- Condition Flaws That Affect the Value of...
Is the Book Signed by the Author?
Signed By The Author Sticker by rivercanyonpress
The author's signature inside a book does not guarantee that it is worth a lot of money. Autographs from very famous people get devalued if they signed massive numbers of books. A personalized signature to a significant person does increase the value of the book. Look at the name of the book owner if it is written in the front of the book or if the name is mentioned in the book inscription by the author. If it is someone important enough, it can enhance the value of the book.
Old Books Price Guide That Lists 25,000 Books and Their Values
Huxford's Old Book Value Guide
This 445 page hardcover edition contains about 25,000 listings of old books as they appeared on various book sellers' price lists over the past year. Books are listed in alphabetical order by author. It describes the book, condition, date of publication and price as it appeared in the price list. Each entry contains a code to identify the booksellers, which are listed in the back of the volume. About 250 book sellers are listed. An extensive list of about 700 book buyers is provided, listed by book category, along with their address and phone number. A very useful reference for the book collector, buyer and seller. (review by Irvin Goodman on Amazon)
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Hot Auctions for Old Books on eBay
Examples of Desirable Books Selling Online
Links about Old Books and Their Values
- How to Identify Old Books | eHow.com
- To identify an antiquarian or "old" book you must determine it's bibliographic identity and publishing history. You must calculate the edition of the book and verify the author's bibliographic...
Mirror of the Martyrs by wtpayne56 - How to Determine Value on Old Books | eHow.com
- Pricing old books involves a great deal of research and observation. Even old and rare book experts typically find it necessary to contact other experts in the field to establish an estimated...
- How to Find an Autograph Authentication Company | eHow.com
- If you're planning on buying or selling a valuable piece of sports or entertainment memorabilia that has been autographed, you'll want to authenticate that autograph. The authentication process...
- How to Appraise Antique Books | eHow.com
- Most people think that if a book is very old it must be valuable. But age isn't the main factor when it comes to appraising antique books. The most important thing is the rarity of the book. For...
Books by ribizlifozelek - Best Way - Guide to Antique Book Condition | eHow.com
- You have come across an old book, perhaps tucked away in your grandfather's library or maybe sitting on a table in someone's garage sale, and immediately your pulse starts to race. You wonder if...
- How to Determine a Used Book's Market Value | eHow.com
- Books of all genres and age can be purchased for a price. Rare and antique books are in a different class from a typical secondhand, or used, book. The value of a used book is determined by many...
- Antique Books Basics (multiple articles on eHow)
- Finding a special first edition of a book by one of your favorite authors can be a breathtaking experience. Sometimes the hunt for a rare find can be just as exhilarating. The challenge is in knowing where to look and how to identify antiques when you find them. Here are some of the things you'll need to know before you go hunting.
13 articles on antique books
Start with Bookfinder to Determine the Price for the Book
Bookfinder connects you to the descriptions and prices of over 150 million books for sale from booksellers all over the world, including Amazon and rare book dealers.
It includes new, used, rare. out of print. international. and textbooks.
Just enter the book's title and author or on newer books the ISBN number (found on the book jacket or on the back of the title page). Match your book as closely as possible by date, description, edition and condition to the ones listed. Remember that condition makes a huge difference in value for used and rare books.
It includes new, used, rare. out of print. international. and textbooks.
Just enter the book's title and author or on newer books the ISBN number (found on the book jacket or on the back of the title page). Match your book as closely as possible by date, description, edition and condition to the ones listed. Remember that condition makes a huge difference in value for used and rare books.
Books about Book Collecting
Learn all about it
Condition Flaws That Affect the Value of an Old Book
This video discusses the outside condition of the book, but interior problems like a loose binding or foxing (spots on the pages) lower the price as well.
curated content from YouTube
Price Guide for Old Books
Even Paperback Books Can Be Valuable
Check this price guide for collectible paperbacks
Collectable Paperback Books: A New Vintage Paperback Price Reference Second Edition
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Book Finds: How to Find, Buy, and Sell Used and Rare Books
Book Finds, 3rd Edition: How to Find, Buy, and Sell Used and Rare Books
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Selling Used Books on Amazon
What Is the Value of This Book?
Here's a book from my own bookshelf and my analysis of how it should be priced.
Example - A Popular Schoolgirl
We'll follow one book through the process of determining its value.
Vintage Books by jetglo
Mug available from Zazzle
A Popular Schoolgirl Book Cover Post Card by friendlyspirit
Available from Zazzle on a Postcard
When you look up this title on Bookfinder, you'll see 156 copies for sale by book dealers. Some have a publication date of 2008, so the book has been reprinted. Several copies from the 1920s are listed around $150 each. These all have paper dust jackets but our copy does not.
One 1920 copy is listed for $589. I would discount this as a seller putting it out just on speculation. The other copies are much lower in price.
One book listed for $44 seems like a good match for our copy. Here's the description: "Publisher: Blackie London, 1920
Good hardback in grey cloth with blue, black & yellow. Illus by Balliol Salmon Ed.not stated. Inscrip (1920) on ffep; feps browned; some foxing; spine a little browned, with wear to cloth at head and foot. 6 B&W illus, all present. Appears to be First edition of 1920 - gift inscrip dated Christmas 1920; 'A Popular Schoolgirl' is at the top of the list of 21 titles on verso of half-title page and all other 20 books listed were published in 1920 or earlier."
The New Edition of A Popular Schoolgirl Is Available on Amazon
Book Value Example - The Dream and Fate Book
Dream & Fate Book Cover by VintageFactory
This book cover has been turned into a poster that is available on Zazzle.
Dream & Fate Book Cover ~ Poster. Merchant's Gargling Oil Almanac ~ Dream & Fate Book 1886. Wonderful vintage book cover. Image of a woman in a long flowing gown and an owl seated on a crescent moon.
Looking up The Dream and Fate Book on Bookfinder
There was only one listing on Bookfinder. The book was described as:
"Lockport, N.Y., Merchant's Gargling Oil Company, 1885. 18 x 12 cm. Orig. decorated wrappers. Illustrated. Attractive colorful covers with on the rear an illustration of a horse tended by two orientals with gargling oil. A few minor defects. With punched hole for hanging string.* Advertising booklet for a cure-all medicine. With an almanac for 1886, moon phases, 'unlucky days', jokes and other amusement."
The price listed was $42.47 which included the shipping cost. This is for a book published in 1885, not 1886. Close enough that we can consider our book to be worth a similar amount. Possibly it was an annual publication by the Gargling Oil Company.
"Lockport, N.Y., Merchant's Gargling Oil Company, 1885. 18 x 12 cm. Orig. decorated wrappers. Illustrated. Attractive colorful covers with on the rear an illustration of a horse tended by two orientals with gargling oil. A few minor defects. With punched hole for hanging string.* Advertising booklet for a cure-all medicine. With an almanac for 1886, moon phases, 'unlucky days', jokes and other amusement."
The price listed was $42.47 which included the shipping cost. This is for a book published in 1885, not 1886. Close enough that we can consider our book to be worth a similar amount. Possibly it was an annual publication by the Gargling Oil Company.
More about Vintage Books
from Virginia Allain
One of my books that I featured on the Vintage Quilting Books, recently sold for $250. I was thrilled.
Have You Discovered an Old Book That Might be Valuable?
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ifeelgod
May 18, 2012 @ 12:12 pm | delete
- Hey thanks for your lens. You are my choice for the squid quest for stuff we have to much of but want more anyway. Be Blessed
In Him,
JMb <><
http://ifeelgod.org
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simpsonia
May 17, 2012 @ 1:49 pm | delete
- The Bookfinder link was especially helpful. Thank you!
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PapaKork
Apr 29, 2012 @ 4:24 am | delete
- My mother had an old signed copy of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (it wasn't signed to her, but to another person). Not sure what it was actually worth, but she let it go on Ebay for $100.00 when money was tight. She really wishes she'd kept it, though.
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scarlettohairy Apr 24, 2012 @ 9:56 pm | delete
- I've sold some somewhat valuable books on Amazon. It's fun to find nice old books that are also worth something!
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malzeke
Apr 22, 2012 @ 9:06 pm | delete
- That is my hobby...finding old, rare children's books. I also check in with abebooks.com for pricing ideas on old, rare books.
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Coe
Apr 3, 2012 @ 2:00 pm | delete
- Great lens with very helpful information!
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chwwalker
Feb 6, 2012 @ 4:16 pm | delete
- Interesting lens discovered on Pinterest. One of my aunts goes around to book fairs and such to get cheap books and then resells them on Amazon for just under the Amazon price, and I know it helps their family income a lot. I'd love to do it myself someday as a stay at home mom.
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RareBooksDigest
Feb 1, 2012 @ 4:29 pm | delete
- We have written quite a few articles about rare books and their value. There are some introductory artciles like Rare books 101 and 102, an article as to how a rare book gets its value. Check the site www.rarebooksdigest.com
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kingsrookie
Nov 28, 2011 @ 12:53 pm | delete
- Great work here Vallain, Glad I friended you on Google Plus!
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Roo
Nov 28, 2011 @ 9:08 am | delete
- as an ex-bookseller I'd say you are sharing some excellent advice here. Though there are a couple of points I'd like to raise -
1) Many books are priced high as few other copies are available, this does not mean they are in demand at all, but can purely by down to one seller speculating with a high price, and others following them.
2) Although a book can be priced high when looking for other copies they can also be priced low, or even appear on 'wanted book' lists for low prices in attempt for booksellers to acquire books well below the market price. A number of these were on my 'watch list' and I would often be able to buy them for £5 and resell for £50 within a week. Though many times I would buy and then be informed by the seller that it was no longer available!
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Ruthi
Nov 28, 2011 @ 8:59 am | delete
- Great resources for book collectors. I wish I knew what happened to all of my grandmother's books she read to me when I was a wee one.
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faykam69
Nov 19, 2011 @ 4:54 am | delete
- nice topic i enjoyed it reading
keep it up
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WaynesWorld
Oct 24, 2011 @ 10:45 pm | delete
- Neat lens. My sister has our mothers soft leather covered book of poems from 1912 by an author last name is Rice.
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LisaMarieArt
Oct 6, 2011 @ 10:01 am | delete
- I've just recently started collecting vintage books so this info is very useful. Thanks for the link to Bookfinder.com. It's a pain trawling through site after site so it's a God send! :)
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GayleMcLaughlin Aug 27, 2011 @ 8:53 am | delete
- Even though I have been a librarian for many years, I have learned so much about the value of old books. Didn't know about Bookfinder.com! Thanks Virginia!
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by vallain
I'm Virginia Allain, a retired librarian. Now I devote myself to writing, photography and designing books to self-publish. Having fun!
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