Are Those Dusty Old Tomes in Your Library Worth Something?
In May 2023, a nearly complete copy of a Hebrew Bible dating back to the 9th century CE sold at auction for over $38 million. Later that year, two books from the estate of Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones sold at auction at Christie’s in London:
- A copy of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles went for $226,555, a new record for a printed book
- Agatha Christie’s The Thirteen Problems earned nearly $64,000, the most ever paid for one of her books
What makes a book collectible? What are the specific factors that affect the value of a collectible book? Is your retirement nestled on the top shelf of the family library?
The Key Factors that Make a Book Collectible
Whether or not a book will attract the interest of a collector depends on a number of factors:
- Its historical significance—A book may be historically significant because of the fame of its author or because of its connection to a historical event. Books by well-known authors have the potential to be collectible, as well as books by famous historical figures. Furthermore, some books can become collectible mostly because of their age (though the specific value will typically depend on how many copies are available)
- The specific edition of the book—First editions generally have more value than subsequent editions
- The number of similar copies available—In modern times, with best-selling authors, it’s not uncommon to have millions of copies printed. That was not the case for centuries, though. Many classics had a very small first printing…copies of those can be quite valuable.
- The condition of the book (and dust cover, if applicable)—Book collectors use shorthand to assess the condition of a potentially collectible book: AN (As New), F (Fine), VG (Very Good), G (Good), Fair and Poor. The better the condition, the more valuable the book. In addition, the inclusion of the dust jacket and its condition can affect value. Condition typically looks at the binding, the dust jacket, whether there are marks or bumps on pages or the spine, and whether there is visible wear and tear.
- Whether or not the edition is signed—A book that has the author’s signature will typically be of greater value
- The provenance of the book—In some instances, a book will be valuable because of who owned it
