The easiest way to know how much your copy of a book is worth on the open market is to check on how much similar copies are currently being offered for. Try to search for similar copies on BIBLIO to see if any of our sellers have comparable copies.

You can also check the Auction & Book Sales Archive by Biblio, which is the authoritative record of book and manuscript auction records, carefully curated for over 50 years. ABSA provides invaluable insight into the provenance, identification, scarcity, and value of antiquarian books and manuscripts, available via subscription and open to professional book dealers, libraries and institutions, appraisers, auction houses, archivists, and private book collectors.

A few things to keep in mind:

How much is your book worth?

  1. Condition means everything in a book's value. A book that has significant damage is likely not worth much. A book collector wants an attractive copy, often in ‘Fine’ condition.
  2. Dust jackets are important. Most hard cover books published since the early 20th century were sold with a dust jacket. The dust jacket is both the most decorative part of a book, and the most delicate. A missing dust jacket, or a dust jacket that is in poor condition, can cut a collectible book's value more than 50%, and make it harder to find a buyer.
  3. Make sure that the copy you have matches the copy that is being offered.There are a number of ways that a book may, at first glance, look to be a rare collectible, but upon closer examination doesn't match up. It could be a Reprint edition, Later Printing, or Book Club Edition - not a valuable “True First.”
  4. Supply vs. Demand Too many comparable copies currently for sale may indicate a glut in the market. It's harder to sell a book if you have too much competition, and prices for that book tend to start going down.
  5. Check the range: get an idea of the full range of similar copies currently offered. Don't just settle on the lowest or highest price for comparison.

You might decide to offer your copy to a reputable local bookseller instead of selling it on your own. A professional bookseller can give you an immediate fair offer for your book, but their price will need to factor in the profit they need to run their business, so don't be surprised to be offered 1/4 of the average retail price. Their offer will figure in their costs and the time that they expect to have it in their stock before a buyer comes along.