This is why searching for rare books can be similar to seeking out the holy grail or finding the magic lamp in aladdins cave. Learn how to research the value of rare books in this free book collecting video from a longtime bookstore buyer. Certain books, even very old ones, are not particularly rare. The name for the splotches, spots, and specks you often see on older books. Generally its a good idea to toss out the highest and lowest numbers you find and take an average of the rest to get an idea of how much you can expect to ask for your rare book. Use the search box above to find fond treasures from your childhood or that one book that has escaped your collection thus far. Always try to compare several copies of the book to ensure that you are getting the best value for your money. Use our antique book search to find and get the best price on vintage and antique. You might think its a rare and valuable book but dont know where to find its value. When searching for rare books, please do not search by isbn. Cracks, chips, tears, and stains will greatly diminish the value. There are old comic books on pulp paper which are highly collectible, and probably some series books and mass market books as well, but with childrens juvenile or picture books, be wary of pulp paper unless it is a collectible wartime edition.
Rare books for sale, buy antique books from alibris. Starting in the late 1970s, the easiest way to find out about vinyl records value was to consult a price guide. Factors such as moisture and humidity and the storage of your collection can have a significant impact on how well your books retain their value. A rare book is not simply an old book, its not a now out of print book and its not a book that has simply been passed down because of its sentimental value. Also keep an eye on the latest superhero movies when digging through your vintage comic books.
Whether youre a budding rare book collector or a bibliophile with an evniable collection, discover an amazing selection of rare and collectable books from booksellers around the. How to search on abebooks to find the value of your book. Prying the chest open with a crowbar, you find a row of pristine books with gilded edges and crisp, unopened bindings. Take all these figures and average them out to find an approximate value.
Rare and valuable books old and not so old books worth. Vintage and antique books best price on antique books online. Rare books are not a highmargin or flybynight business, so if you see that this seller is wellestablished, you can trust them to appropriately value your book. Due to its very limited numbers, in our time is considered one of the rare books for book collectors around the world. The dates of composition of the books range from the 7thcentury quran leaf palimpsest and the early 8th century. They also put on about 60 book fairs a year, which are a great place to find books. You can visit the strands rare book room on the third floor, monday sunday 9. List of most expensive books and manuscripts wikipedia. We have thousands of rare and antique treasures brought to you by our network of trusted sellers from all around the world. Has every book imaginable, including many collectors rare editions abebooks specializes in rare books, great place to research book values mostly specializes in used textbooks if you are a student check them out.
Read more about conditions of books, music and movies in our condition guide. There are a number of ways that a book may, at first glance, look to be a rare collectible, but upon closer examination. Age or scarcity alone are hardly sufficient to make a rare book also valuable. Vinyl records value rare records rare rock, jazz and r. After all, rare books can be a huge investment, and if you cant see the condition of the book before you buy, you are taking a risk. Use the search box above begin by completing the title and author fields. Rare books, outofprint books online half price books.
Even if theyre not rare comic books, they are collectible. Most are not rare comic books, but still collected. We specialize in making it easier for you to get the books you need. Sep 17, 2016 you never know where you will find rare books, sometimes, you might even find one in a used bookstore. Global catalog of library collections antiquarian booksellers association of america.
Here within are found books rare and ancient, starting with the earliest printed works encompassing incunabula, 15th century. Many books were published around the turn of the last century with elaborate chromolitho covers and. Like any item, a book is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. This is a useful thing to have around at book sales and the like along with a good guide to first editions although not especially wieldy as provided. Of course, as with anything, rare comic books hold more value than common editions. Find signed books, first editions, antiquarian books and more. Jan 19, 2006 books this article is more than 14 years old.
Lacking years of experience, such lists are critical for my reference. Nearmint versions of records, for example, will go for double what a copy with a little ring wear, dinged corners, and. Well known to book collectors and booklovers, our site is an excellent resource for discovering a rough value of an old book. Only 250 copies were printed for friends and family, as one of these rare copies sold at auction for. Rare and valuable books find rare books online at the. Abebooks specializes in rare books, great place to research book values. If you own one of these rare books, youre sitting on a gold. Discover your rare book source, featuring outofprint books and antique books. If possible identify the books date of publication. These include most bibles, encyclopedias, textbooks printed after 1850, collected editions and reprints.
Most rare book collectors agree that antique books are far older than vintage books, an important distinction for the purpose of collection and resale. If you have one of these rare books sitting on a shelf, get ready to cash in. If you own one of these rare books, youre sitting on a. Vintage and antique books can be extremely valuable, providing you get the.
Look inside the book and identify the books publisher complete the publisher field. Some of the most popular areas of collecting today include. Top 10 most collectible cookbooks cookbook village. I classify an antiquarian or antique book as one that is at least 100 years old and collectiblein good enough condition to be read or resold, says grybos. The dust jacket is both the most decorative part of a book, and the most delicate. A missing dust jacket, or a dust jacket that is in poor condition, can cut a collectible books value more than 50%, and make it harder to find a buyer. Lot 5 of green shades of green old vintage antique rare hardcover random. Most useful was a list of 1001 moreorless collectible books listed by author at the back.
For many book collectors, the value of their antique books is more than a specific. This is a dutch auction site, with books from mostly europe, but around the world. Values relate to first editions in very good condition. Apparently, the canadian alfred a knopf editions are the copies that matter most to collectors. Tthe searchable database consists of detailed reports in an evergrowing database of items in this category. At the age of six he began with sea shells, and soon graduated to coins, the gateway drug. There is never a wrong time to think about how best to care for your rare books.
One of the most popular and critically acclaimed books of the last two decades, yann martels man booker prize winning the life of pi is also one of the most highly collectible. Before the first edition of the tale of peter rabbit was released, its author beatrix potter commissioned a private publishing of the now iconic childrens book a year earlier in 1901. Books in good condition may only be worth onesixth to onetenth of the fine value. One very simple method of finding an approximate value of a book is to search. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. Links to websites to help you value, sell or find rare books. Rare and valuable books find rare books online at the best. Apr 16, 2008 how to find out how much a book is worth. The best websites to buy collectible and first edition books. The humanities department has resources to help you find out. As with most collectible items, the fewer copies that exist, the more valuable each individual remaining copy is. How to find, buy, and sell used and rare books by ian c. Another website that is excellent for finding very rare books is catawiki.
Whether you want the cheapest reading copy or a specific collectible edition, with bookfinder, youll find just the right book. Make sure that the copy you have matches the copy that is being offered. The private collector also acquired a number of other literary rarities, such as a christmas carol by charles. Explore unique, collectible and unusual items from the finest booksellers in the world. A book in very good condition may only be worth about half of the fine value. Has every book imaginable, including many collectors rare editions. Justice league of america comics click for main article have peaked and then declined in value, as speculation and then profit taking around the jla movie came and went. New listing the i ching book of changes easton press leather collectors edition rare. Alibris is one of the premier rare and outofprint book sites on the internet. Rare books, learn how to find, buy, and collect them.
Over the past 40 years, a number of books have been published every other year or so that list the value of certain types of records. Since 1997, bookfinder has made it easy to find any book at the best price. Whether youre a budding rare book collector or a bibliophile with an evniable collection, discover an amazing selection of rare and collectible books from booksellers around the. Warren, whose price guide books have been the authority on collectibles values since 1985. When buying rare books online, it can be difficult to trust the person who is selling the book. Certain genres are valued by collectors, such as cookbooks. How to identify, collect, and sell rare books lifehacker. The best way to find the rare book values for books you already own is to do some searching online to see what the going rate is for the book you have. You never know where you will find rare books, sometimes, you might even find one in a used bookstore. A minor flaw in a hardtofind book wont affect the value nearly as much as in a more common or recent book. For best results, please search by title and author. Rare collectibles for sale buy vintage collectible items.