by V J Webb

Created on: March 12, 2009

Book collecting can be fun and profitable. Books purchased today can often become worth quite a bit of money. In deciding what to collect, my advice is to collect what you like to read. Follow these simple rules to make sure that your copy of a book that has become highly collectible will fetch top dollar.

Only purchase hardbacks that are first-edition and first printing. Make sure that the copyright page states that the book is a first edition. Also, make sure that the string of numbers at the bottom of the copyright page contains all of the numbers from 1 to 10. The one in the number line shows that a book is a first printing. Avoid book club editions, ex-library and books with manufacturer remainder marks.

They rate books and their dust jackets on their condition as mint, fine, very good, good, fair or poor. A designation of F/F indicates that the book and jacket are both in fine condition.

A Book with an unblemished dust jacket is worth more. Before reading the book, enclose the jacket in an acid free Mylar cover. These covers can be purchased from library supply houses in quantities as small as twenty-five at a cost of around 40 cents per cover. A Google search on library supplies will return a list of the top suppliers. The Mylar cover will protect the book jacket from shelf wear, fingerprints, dust and fading.

Signed first-editions are worth more than inscribed first editions. If only the author's name and date signed appears on the title page, a book is considered signed. Inscribed books are signed by the author and have a written dedication to an individual.

When reading the book, do not crack the spine so that the pages lay flat. A book that seems unread is worth more.

Generally speaking, first books published when the author is unknown can dramatically increase in value when the author becomes famous. A good example is Sue Grafton's A is for Alibi. I have seen a first-edition, signed, fine copy of this book listed for as much as $5800.00. A signed, first edition, fine copy of Janet Evanovich's first book One for the Money is already listed as high as $500.00. Books published in small first-edition, first printing and then take off can also be very valuable. A prime example of this is The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. A first-edition, signed, fine copy of this book is listed for as much as $3950.00.

Today's on-line auctions can be great places to buy and sell books. Before bidding on a book, find out how much it is worth. Getting caught up in the bidding and paying too much is very easy. One good way to find out the high-low price range of a book is to look at past auctions. Another way is to search one of the on-line reseller collections, such as www.abebooks.com. Remember, the prices listed are what the seller thinks the book is worth and can sometimes be unrealistic. However, it gives a general idea of a book's price range.

Often the joy of book collecting is as much in the hunting as in the acquiring. Stumbling across a first-edition, first printing of A is for Alibi in fine condition at a yard sale or in Aunt Martha's attic will make any book collector's day.

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