Saturday, September 4, 2010
Hitting the Books
Books need not be very old to be collectible or valuable. A First Edition printing of a bestseller or an autographed book by a celebrity or athlete, and the price goes up. Typically authors, celebrities, and athletes only sign first editions, and book collectors are usually interested only in First Editions. First Edition books autographed by the authors don’t merely double the value; depending on the celebrity’s status and current popularity, the value could go up exponentially.
If a book is not autographed, how do you tell if it’s truly a 1st edition? Often the book is marked First Edition, but sometimes the words "First Printing," "First Published," or "First Impression" appear on the copyright page, but not always. Sometimes just one date is referenced. Check the date on the title page with the date on the copyright page; they should match. Generally speaking, you should not see dates other than the original if it’s a First Edition.
Many publishers now use a number line to denote the printing. The presence of the number 1 at either the beginning or end of a string of numbers would indicate that it’s a first printing. As the printings are released, the previous numbers are removed. (i.e. 123456 or 654321 would be a first edition. 3456 or conversely, 6543 would be a 3rd printing.)
Though these guidelines serve as a good rule of thumb, each publisher has their own way of designating their first editions. Bill McBride's "Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions" would take the guesswork out.
Somewhat of an enigma are the Tom Clancy novels which are not considered very old…a quarter of a century and newer, First Editions of Tom Clancy novels in hardback, are valued at approximately $50. The exception is his first novel “Hunt for Red October.” The 1984 novel was originally released only in paperback, but when it hit the best seller list, the U.S. Naval Institute Press then released it in hardback…but only through a book club. This blockbuster was the first fictional work they ever published, and still to this date, their most successful. Various sites on the internet value the hardcover version, depending on condition, between $350-$1000!
To research the value of old or collectible books, refer to the latest edition of Huxeford’s Old Book Value Guide with over 25,000 listings. The following internet sites also provide current book values: www.abebooks.com, www.onceuponabook.biz, www.bizrate.com, www.fadedgiant.net
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