A Topical Guide to Determining the Value of Used & Out-of-Print Books
By Orrin Schwab December 2000
By Orrin Schwab December 2000
The question is asked of book dealers with great regularity. "How do I know which books are valuable and which are not"? Unfortunately, there is no short and easy answer for this question. There are many diverse topics of books and book collecting, and the answer will be different for each of these areas. There is no single blanket answer that will cover all topics.
There are some general guidelines and tips, however, that can aid in identifying potentially valuable books. To those who regularly attend estate sales, thrift shops, auctions, and other venues where books may be sold, it is important to be able to see potential value at a glance. It is equally important to see non-value and save the expense of buying valueless books.
To those who have books that they have inherited, or books they've collected in their lifetime, it is helpful to have some starting point in determining the value of a book collection. An understanding of the market and the potential value of books is a great help in making the decision to sell and at what price.
I will now list some of the major topics of out-of-print and antiquarian book collecting, in no particular order, and share some of my experience and insights about what to look for and what to avoid in each area. One of the key points to remember about out-of-print and rare books is that there are books to die for and books that you'll die with, and knowing the difference between the two categories is of utmost importance.
Please note that a book's low market value does not mean that the book is poorly written, and conversely, a high market value doesn't necessarily equate with superb writing. The main factor driving the value of books, as with any market, are supply and demand.
Those books that are scarce and rare and in high demand will bring the highest prices. Books that are rare, but for which there is no interest or demand, will not bring high prices (and often won't bring any prices). There are books that are fairly common, but for which the demand is high, so the price holds at a mid-level range and copies sell quickly.
The other main factor determining the market value of a book is condition. In real estate its location, location, location. In rare books its condition, condition, condition. I cannot emphasize enough how important this factor is, and how often it is overlooked, or avoided, by potential buyers and sellers.
There are some general guidelines and tips, however, that can aid in identifying potentially valuable books. To those who regularly attend estate sales, thrift shops, auctions, and other venues where books may be sold, it is important to be able to see potential value at a glance. It is equally important to see non-value and save the expense of buying valueless books.
To those who have books that they have inherited, or books they've collected in their lifetime, it is helpful to have some starting point in determining the value of a book collection. An understanding of the market and the potential value of books is a great help in making the decision to sell and at what price.
I will now list some of the major topics of out-of-print and antiquarian book collecting, in no particular order, and share some of my experience and insights about what to look for and what to avoid in each area. One of the key points to remember about out-of-print and rare books is that there are books to die for and books that you'll die with, and knowing the difference between the two categories is of utmost importance.
Please note that a book's low market value does not mean that the book is poorly written, and conversely, a high market value doesn't necessarily equate with superb writing. The main factor driving the value of books, as with any market, are supply and demand.
Those books that are scarce and rare and in high demand will bring the highest prices. Books that are rare, but for which there is no interest or demand, will not bring high prices (and often won't bring any prices). There are books that are fairly common, but for which the demand is high, so the price holds at a mid-level range and copies sell quickly.
The other main factor determining the market value of a book is condition. In real estate its location, location, location. In rare books its condition, condition, condition. I cannot emphasize enough how important this factor is, and how often it is overlooked, or avoided, by potential buyers and sellers.