by Timothy Blankenhorn

Created on: December 09, 2008

I am a book dealer on the Internet. I started this business as a way to get rid of the hundreds of books I had accumulated. Now, years later,I have thousands of books piled in the attic.

Oh, well. I caught the bug. And I know what it's like to buy a $4.00 book on eBay (on Syphilology) - and sell it the next week for $95.00. I know what it's like to start with nothing and to have $120,000 worth of listings in two years, working odd hours.

Here are some tips for collecting books that will become valuable. I can guarantee that these suggestions will work well over the long haul.

First, don't fool with books unless you love them. Their mysteries are endless, their variety limitless - but I can't imagine taking this enterprise on unless books really captivate you - and unless you've been something of a book lover- a bibliophile - over the course of your life.

Second, do your homework. If you see a copy of an art book in the local thrift shop, and you think it might be very valuable, and they want 8 bucks for it, make a note of the title, author, and publication date, and check it out on Amazon. You'll know within seconds whether it's worth $6.00 or $60. A few book dealers use their cell phones to do this on site. It's called "scouting," and it amounts to a legal form of cheating. The good news is that it's too much effort for most people.

Third, value is derived from high demand and low supply, so don't purchase books that have printed in large numbers. In fact, avoid all books published in the last twenty years, even if they're signed by the author and Princess Margaret, too. There isn't a Tom Clancy novel or John Grisham that worth paying more than pennies for, and that's if it's mint. One exception to recent books is if the book was printed in limited quantities, perhaps for an academic audience. Keep an eye out for names of obscure publishing houses.

Fourth, work from strength. If there are areas of expertise you have developed, take advantage of them. If you know a lot about golf or archery or ceramics, then take the time to find out what's out there. Buy old books in your area of expertise and examine them. The good ones are bound to be worth a lot some day. The bad ones? Well, you learn from them, too, and someone is bound to want them.

Fifth, all old books that have something to say and look good will appreciate in value. Period. And the reason is that publishers can't afford to print books profitably any more - so all the books in print are irreplaceable. What

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