Good to see others with nice collections. So where to begin? Depending on how widespread the knowledge is of this collection you may encounter some of the following situations …
- You might get a call out of the blue offering to simply haul off the collection for free.
The answer to this is NO.
- You might get a call with an offer of 1000 USD sight unseen. the answer to this is also NO.
- You might get a call asking to come look at the collection first. They usually will then say something like, "Well, there isn’t really anything of value here, but I’ll offer you 1$ per book or 1000 USD. The answer to this is also NO.
- You might get a call asking to come look at the collection. They will then go through the titles, cull the best items and throw in a few ordinary titles for cover. They will then offer you 10-20 % of the actual value of the titles they have culled. Also, do not let them go through the collection while carrying a phone.
There are other scenarios but they are usually variations of these.
So what to do? If you believe there to be a number of good titles, and can afford it, have the collection appraised by a certified appraiser. If there is a major college or university nearby call the library and get the name of the person who oversees the gifts and donations to the library. This person will know the name of a certified, trusted appraiser.
As a general rule 1st editions with dust jackets are more valuable than others. Signed editions are also more valuable to collectors. Special editions with nice bindings are more valuable (e.g. Easton Press). In real estate it was said by Harold Samuel that “There are three things that matter in property: location, location, location!” with books it is condition, condition, condition. Familarize yourself with the publishers of Civil War materials. Some publishers are better than others. Look for reprints or facsimiles. These are, in most cases, less valuable. Look for “Book Club” printings. Often the words “Book Club Edition” are printed at the bottom of the jacket flaps. In some cases the book club information will be shown as part of the cataloging information on the page following the main / full title page. You should also check on the bottom right hand corner of the back board. If you see a small impression of some sort (it could be one of the card suits or a square, circle, dot or triangle) it is a book club printing. Book Club printings are usually of lesser press quality (paper, bindings, page print) so they are usually considered less valuable.
Be sure to go through the books carefully. Quite frequently when going through collections one will run across important family pictures and documents either used as bookmarks or intentionally placed in the books for safekeeping. … Check for currency. As folks age they often use a wall of books as a “safe” hiding large sums of money in them thinking if the house were broken into that no would would think to look within book pages for money. Often times these “deposits” are forgotten.
To sum up … know what you might have in the collection before you make any deals. Good Luck.
