Determining a rare book’s fair value

by The bookworm on April 28, 2011 · Market Analysis, Rare Book Education

One of the hardest tasks for a seller or owner of an antiquarian book collection, is evaluating or determining a book’s fair value. Whether preparing to sell or appraise your books for any reason, the unique attributes inherent in the world of rare books, deems the task “approximate”.

Finding out a book’s current value, in theoretical terms, comes down to what a buyer is willing to pay for it. How valuable a book is, it usually depends on a number of factors including scarcity, condition, special features such as autographs and inscriptions by authors, and a factor I refer to as investment appeal. A buyer of an antique or scarce book is usually a collector who is potentially looking to add value to her/his collection by acquiring a certain grouping of complementary hard to find books. A book dealer is investing in a category of books that she/he specializes in, with a primary intention to sell for profit. A measure of a book’s investment appeal is probably the most difficult factor to quantify.

The fact that no two books are alike complicates things a bit. The same title by the same author having the same publisher and edition, printing, state etc., does not necessarily have the same value. Other criteria, such as unique features (signed, inscribed, autographed), the condition of the book, the timing of the evaluation or the purpose of the appraisal can contribute to the evaluation.  A case-by-case determination can vary considerably resulting in significant fluctuations. Take as an example a rare book by the name, Codex Seraphinianus, first edition limited to 4000 copies printed by FMR (Franco Maria Ricci of Italy) in 1981. The book sold on Abebooks in March of 2010 for 6000 US Dollars. A year later the same book sold for 955 Euro, on Ebay. Same book, similar condition, different channel, different time, different seller location.

Combining historical data from past pricing sale activity, while adjusting upward or downward to accommodate pertinent current criteria, is in theory the ideal process. A number of different agencies have been tracking past sale information:

1)      American Book Prices Current (ABPC) reports on prices brought for specific items in a specific condition at major auction houses in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe.

2)      Bookman’s Price Index (BPI).  Some 100-200 antiquarian booksellers in United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom report their prices to BPI.

Once the historical pricing is determined and all current unique criteria factored in, a final step is channel determination. Channel is important since a book placed in an auction is exposed to different market conditions than a book placed for sale on a shelf in a local bookstore. If the purpose of the evaluation is to price a book for sale, then expected returns are dependent on the sale channel. Auctions are usually used to quickly liquidate a tangible asset, within current market conditions and within a relatively short time frame compared to say listing the asset for sale on Amazon.

As with any tangible asset, time is a prime contributor to value fluctuations. A long-term approach to maintaining pricing up-to-date is extremely important. How often to re-evaluate and adjust a book’s value, is a topic for a future date.

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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }

Breann Burton January 31, 2024 at 6:58 pm

I have a book I would like to have information on. The title is Lector Infantil by Gregorio Torres Quintero. It was published in 1906. It is in Spanish and seems to have been done when he was a teacher at a school. The book also has a university of Oregon Sticker from 1907.

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Admin February 1, 2024 at 11:49 am

Gregorio Torres Quintero (Las Palmas, Colima, May 25, 1866 – Mexico City, January 28, 1934) was a Mexican teacher, pedagogue, storyteller, and innovator in teaching systems. He founded the Escuela Modelo for primary, normal and tutor education, in 1892. He was director of the Porfirio Díaz School and for a short period he was head and director of Public Instruction.
El lector infantil mexicano was his eighth book

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David Franklin April 15, 2019 at 7:38 pm

I have an old copy of The Prince of the House of David. It is not a reprint. Hard cover all complete, good condition. I would guess it has been sitting on a bookshelf for most of the past hundred years.

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Susan Stevens March 15, 2019 at 6:19 am

Hello, I’d like to know the value of a hard-cover copy of F.G. Fowler and H.W. Fowler’s The Pocket Oxford Dictionary of Current English (Oxford at The Clarendon Press, 1924), 1000 pages, condition fair. Thank you, Susan S.

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mary tyson October 3, 2018 at 10:33 pm

Hi there, wondering if you can help. I have a copy of China’s Millions 1891 and a copy of China’s Millions 1892. They are not reprints. One is green, the other red, both with lot’s of gold leaf on the cover. They are both in excellent condition with only small dings in the corners. Inside, the books look like they’ve never been opened. They both had a dedication written
inside – Presented to the Wesleyan S.S. Library by J.V. Breaden. S.S. perhaps meaning Sunday School as they came from a church sale in Tasmania. Really hoping you can help as I can only find fairly recent reprints online. Look forward to hearing from you. Regards Mary T.

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John C Parks June 22, 2018 at 4:44 pm

Hello,

I would like to know the resale value of an antique book:

Le Meursius Francois ou L’Academie Des Dames

By A. Cythere

Published in 1782

Thank you,

John Parks

Reply

Joe Olivares September 28, 2017 at 6:56 pm

Hello, We have 8 issues of the FMR America magazine. Beautifully printed and in excellent condition. These were gifted and we forgot about them for close to fifteen years. We have the June 1984 through December 1984 issue and the January 1985 issue. Can anyone shed some like as to their value.
Thanks
Joe Olivares

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Scott Weedman July 5, 2017 at 5:58 pm

I have a Dell 1st edition (paperback) of Vonnegut’s Slaughter-House Five, published in October of 1971. On EBAY, I see it going for $85 and again for $19.95. That’s a big difference. Both items look identical to mine, so now I’m confused as to what mine is actually worth. Can anybody help?

Reply

Margie Cobb April 28, 2016 at 9:41 pm

I have a copy of Dunglison’s medical dictionary 1874 in fair condition, Human Physiology for students and practitioners sixth edition 1875 in fair condition and Blacks Law Dictionary fourth edition 1968 in excellent condition. Can you help me with values?

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Laura Fish April 19, 2016 at 1:33 am

Hello, I would like to sell a set of Charles Dickens books published by JM Dent & Co London Doubleday & McClure Co New York 1899
I believe there are @ 40 books in all and most are in excellent condition although I am not an expert and some may be classified as “very good” & “good”.
I was gifted these by the original owner. If you have interest and think these may be worth your while, can you please email me your email address and I will send you a few pictures? Sincerely, Laura Fish. [email protected]

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Nikolay September 28, 2015 at 7:53 pm

Hi there, could you tell me something about the Charles Dickens ‘ Christmas Books’, London, George Routledge and sons,limited, printed by Simmons and Botten. The book is with red hard covers and has Routledge Railway Library advertiser first and last pages, twelft issue, 100 000 dated 12/2/94. Can you tell me about the number of copies and if it’s possible its value. Thank you.

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Melody Miller October 7, 2014 at 5:33 am

I have a copy of The Art, Science, and Philosophy of Chiropractic, by D D Palmer. It is the green book, that I believe is the 1966 reprint of the 1910 version. It is in great condition. I already have several people interested in buying it, sight unseen, but I do do know what the value of the book is. I understand that is is listed in several places as a scarce book to find. Should I just list it on bay and let the action begin? At what price? Or should I sell to one of these gentlemen?

Any suggestions you can give me will be appreciated.

Thank you,

Melody MIller

Reply

Admin October 9, 2014 at 12:42 am

Does it have its dust jacket?

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