• Old Book Value Guides:
  • Let me take a moment and dispel the myth of value guides. This goes for all the guides whether is an Old book value guide or an Antique value guide^[1].
  • A value guide is not a written in stone "This is what the book is worth". While helping people research their books I hear all the time "but the book said it was worth this much!" If you have exactly the same book in your hands that the guide was written about, then ok. But if you have a mint condition or a signed copy then your's might be worth more, or less, the market does fluctuate. Most copies though are usually well read and are worth less than book value.
    
    The thing to remember is that guides are written by sellers and dealers^[2]. They print the best price that they have seen a book go for in the marketplace. Taken from highest bids at auction, prices in a flea market or gotten from one of their own sales. *This does not mean that you will be able to get the same price for your copy.* What it does give you is a good idea of what your collection should be valued at for insurance purposes against loss or damage, also it gives a good list of collectible authors and titles. common wisdom is that the higher the price on the book the more desirable it is. But remember that the book market is like a mini stock market.
  • ^[1] Of the guides written, Mr. and Miss Kovel take the time and energy to give good averages in their's. (Too bad they don't do much with old books.)
  • ^[2] A good writer of guides will try to find multiple copies in the market and give an average price for a selected grade. Then they will try to keep the same grade for all books listed.

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