Pricing Ex-Library Books

In my experience books, which are not very expensive - say $50 or so -
are worth practically nothing as ex-library books.
For really expensive books it's another matter. Philip K. Dick's Do
Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is worth perhaps $8,000 as a fine first
ed. and perhaps $3,000 as a decent ex-library book.
For old non-fiction like travel books - say from the 18th or beginning
of the 19th Century - the difference is even smaller. A library stamp
would mean perhaps a 10-20 percent discount.



MindElec wrote:

On Sat, 12 Jul 2003 19:15:42 -0400, "Francis A. Miniter"
declared:

Giltedge04 wrote:

HT Wrote

Is there a generally agreed upon rule-of-thumb for discounting the value
of books for resale when they are, physical condition aside, library discards?
I'm talking specifically about ex-library books that are clearly so on
inspection, having visible stamps, taped jackets, glued pockets, etc., and
which will be sold more for everyday use than serious collecting.

...........

Personally, I would say it depends whether it is fiction or non-fiction. With
fiction, scarcity comes into play so a very scarce ex-lib First Edition might
still be worth about 30% of the price of a nice copy otherwise I would say
ex-library fiction titles are virtually worthless.

As regards, non-fiction it really depends on the subject matter with good books
which are useful research material ie on Antiques etc then you might get about
30 - 40% because are really just after the content rather than the condition or
a First Edition.

well thats my two pennyworth anyway

Stan, Giltedge Books (now in Spain)



Is that true despite the condition of the book? For instance, today I
picked up at a tag sale a nearly pristine copy of "The Hunt for Red
October". It was a library book, but there is no library card holder
(nor was there ever one) and the library stamping is really minimal. If
the library treats the book with respect, and the readers also do, the
condition of the book is not much different from that of an otherwise
fine book with a gift inscription on the ffep. Should such a book
suffer a major devaluation?

i assume it wasn't a first ed of the book? even an ex-lib of that
would be worth some money. a later printing isn't all that uncommon.

robert

"there must be one night in your life that you will remember forever.
The must be one night for everyone. And if you know that the night
is coming on and that this night will be that particular night, then
take it and don't question it and don't talk about it to anyone ever
after that. For if you let it pass it might not come again. Many have
let it pass, many have seen it go by and have never seen another like it,
when all the circumstances of weather, light, moon and time, of night hill
and warm grass and train and town and distance were balanced upon the
trembling of a finger."

(Htn963) wrote in message ...
Hello,

Is there a generally agreed upon rule-of-thumb for discounting the value
of books for resale when they are, physical condition aside, library discards?

To look at it from a buyer's, or collector's point of view, I
purchased a copy of Brando:In The Camera Eye by Sam Shaw at a book
store for $10 (canadian). I thought it was a good deal (with the
premium on my US dollar). I'm a fan of Sam Shaw's work, and Marlon
Brando's, and I had never seen the book before. I bought it for the
pictures, and the fact that it was an ex-lib never really entered into
it.

Preston
Lost Archives Cafe
http://members.aol.com/lostarchives/home.html

While on this subject....

This morning at my local library sale I picked up an ex-lib 1st edition
of Frank Herbert's DUNE (Chilton, 1965, stated 1st with DJ). The book
has been well read with normal library flaws. DJ is at least very good.
Would anyone care to offer an approximate value?

Thanks for any help.

Rose Mary


Arne wrote:

In my experience books, which are not very expensive - say $50 or so -
are worth practically nothing as ex-library books. For really expensive
books it's another matter. Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of
Electric Sheep is worth perhaps $8,000 as a fine first ed. and perhaps
$3,000 as a decent ex-library book. For old non-fiction like travel
books - say from the 18th or beginning of the 19th Century - the
difference is even smaller. A library stamp would mean perhaps a 10-20
percent discount.

MindElec wrote:
On Sat, 12 Jul 2003 19:15:42 -0400, "Francis A. Miniter"
declared:
Giltedge04 wrote:
HT Wrote
=A0=A0Is there a generally agreed upon rule-of-thumb for discounting the
value of books for resale when they are, physical condition aside,
library discards?
=A0=A0I'm talking specifically about ex-library books that are clearly
so on inspection, having visible stamps, taped jackets, glued pockets,
etc., and which will be sold more for everyday use than serious
collecting.