Saturday, March 13, 2010

Collectible Versus Rare Books


Is there a difference? Yes, a big one.

Powell's Books explains...

Books can be collectible without being rare. These would be titles or authors that have resonance with the collector. Fight Club and first editions or signed editions from the Twilight saga are examples of collectible books.

Other books have moved beyond the collectible category and are truly rare. The three-volume first edition of Pride and Prejudice is a great example. It's a classic case of supply vs. demand. The first edition is desirable and scarce. Mathematically expressed, the formula looks like this: D + S = $.

Collectible, rare, and scarce books are just like cars, only with fewer moving parts. By that I mean that much of the same criteria are used to assess them. Physical condition plays a huge part in the valuation. Highlighting, library stamps, crayon drawings, broken bindings, mold, mildew, and coffee stains are the equivalent of a lamp post through the front end of your Ferrari.

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