So you bought a storage unit full of old books. How can you tell whether they’re collector’s items, worthwhile to secondhand buyers or best suited for the recycling facility?
1. Quantity
The first thing you need to check is how many copies of your book are available to the public. Once a book goes out of print, there still remain a limited number of copies on the market. Some of those copies get displaced, others get destroyed, while some survive and may become collector’s items if that book never gets reprinted.
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2. Quality
First editions, signed copies, and other distinguishing features can dramatically boost the book’s price. On the other hand, if the copy has been damaged so that the writing is illegible, or if the damage cannot be repaired by experts, that can severely reduce the book’s value. Also, the older a book is, the more valuable in the eyes of collectors.
3. Level of Fame
A lot of the value attached to an out of print book relates to how famous it is in collector circles. Certain writers and artist’s work is valued more than others. Read up a bit online about the author of your book to get a sense of how much importance may be attached to one of his/her books.
4. Personal Desire
Finally, remember the fact that certain collectors would place greater value on specific books than others. Collecting rare books is a work of passion rather than business for true enthusiasts. Getting in touch with those enthusiasts will allow you to up the asking price for your book.
