Rare Book Values

Defining Rare Books

Before you start talking about rare book values, you need to know what exactly makes a book rare. Being old is not necessarily enough to make a book rare. Usually, there needs to be some sort of demand for a book beyond the available supply in order to consider a book rare.

Some things that might make a book rare include:

• a first edition of a famous book
• signed by the author
• previously owned by someone famous
• interesting artwork, typography or design

Condition

The condition of your book plays a big role in rare book values. The most valuable books are those closest to their original condition. If you can find a rare book in mint condition, crisp, unopened or uncut (in the case of old books in which the signatures were not cut apart at the printer), those books tend to be a lot more valuable than those in poor condition, that are dirty, have broken spines or have been written in.

One of the main exceptions to this rule is if the book was owned by someone famous who wrote in the margins of the book. Sometimes rare book dealers will take into consideration the marginalia instead of just saying the rare book value is less because the book has been written in.

Finding Rare Book Values

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 (or the book you are in the market for). Generally it’s 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.

Condition is a very relative thing, so the prices you find online will probably vary widely and may be quite different from the book that you have or are looking to buy. If you're not sure how to rate the condition of your book, there are industry standards to help you figure out if your book is in good condition or fair condition.

The absolute best way to find out the value of your particular book is to find a rare book appraiser who can look at your book in person and determine its value. Rare book values are very subjective, and can vary widely depending on what the local market will bear where you are trying to sell your book. It pays to try to get a couple of different appraisals before you decide to sell your book just to make sure you know all you can about the book and its potential value beforehand.

Caring for Rare Books

To maintain your rare book value, take good care of the book once it is in your possession. Keep your book somewhere with relatively stable heat and humidity. Storing books in your regular living space is fine, but not in the basement or attic.

When you take books off the shelf, make sure you pull the book from the middle of the spine instead of from the top of the spine. If your book is very heavy, only open it on a desk or table, and make sure not to force the book beyond where it wants to open. Always store them so the spine is straight, either straight on a bookshelf or flat on a side.

Buying rare books can be a great investment and a lot of fun. Finding out rare book values does not have to be difficult, and you may find you have a truly rare gem on your hands.