About Selling Books

[MLZ]

I'm not sure where to put this, so decided to start here. I can move it if asked.

The handwriting is on the wall for me, and I need to start weeding out gear and books. Over the last fifty-odd years I've managed to accumulate about 2,000 titles of respected resource material. Most of it is in excellent condition. What I'm trying to figure out is what is a fair price for a title in great condition. I've looked at ads here and elsewhere, without coming to a conclusion. Would 1/3 the price of new be fair? And yes, I know it's worth whatever someone will pay for it, but ...

Opinions welcome. Thank you.

 

[Splitear]

Look at eBay, thriftbooks.com, abebokes.com, discover books.com.

If you have a copy of Grinslades “Flintlock Fowlers” I’d be interested.

 

[brushblind]

Some older reference books that are out of print ( very difficult to find ) could be worth more than you paid originally, those concerning our hobby.

 

[64Springer]

If it's gun related stuff that people really want, put it on Gunbroker with a penny start and see what happens.

It'll sell for what it sells for.

Run the auction for 14 days and let folks fight over the stuff.

 

[nit wit]

Read the Classified Guidelines and FOLLOW the guidelines or your ad will be deleted!
Nit Wit

 

[Coot]

I'm not sure where to put this, so decided to start here. I can move it if asked.

The handwriting is on the wall for me, and I need to start weeding out gear and books. Over the last fifty-odd years I've managed to accumulate about 2,000 titles of respected resource material. Most of it is in excellent condition. What I'm trying to figure out is what is a fair price for a title in great condition. I've looked at ads here and elsewhere, without coming to a conclusion. Would 1/3 the price of new be fair? And yes, I know it's worth whatever someone will pay for it, but ...

Opinions welcome. Thank you.

What something sold for in the past is not a good indicator of what it is worth today. Styles and interests change & some things go way up & others become hard to give away. Books are no exception. Bookfinder.com searches 1000s of sellers & will give you a good idea what different titles are priced.

 

[Notchy Bob]

I'm not sure where to put this, so decided to start here. I can move it if asked.

The handwriting is on the wall for me, and I need to start weeding out gear and books. Over the last fifty-odd years I've managed to accumulate about 2,000 titles of respected resource material. Most of it is in excellent condition. What I'm trying to figure out is what is a fair price for a title in great condition. I've looked at ads here and elsewhere, without coming to a conclusion. Would 1/3 the price of new be fair? And yes, I know it's worth whatever someone will pay for it, but ...

Opinions welcome. Thank you.

I love books, and have a ton of them. A lot of the titles that interest folks like us are only printed in limited numbers, and they don’t all stay in print. As stated above, some of them are worth more now than when they were new. As an example, I bought a little paperback entitled Texas Crude in about the mid eighties, written by Ken Weaver and illustrated by R. Crumb. It’s an illustrated dictionary of Texas slang. I paid $4.95 for it. However, I looked it up on Amazon a while back and they were asking about $200 for used copies. I couldn’t believe it. Right now they show prices ranging from around $75 to $150. Still unbelievable.

If they are in good condition, and you just want to move them out, I think half the new price would be fair. The last time I sold books to a used book dealer, they were only paying 10% of the purchase price. I think you are wise to offer them here first.

If you want to take the trouble to research individual titles, I would recommend looking them up on AbeBooks.com, which is much more user-friendly than Amazon, and prices are more realistic. This should give an idea of what they are worth.

Best of luck to you, my friend.

Notchy Bob

 

[MLZ]

Look at eBay, thriftbooks.com, abebokes.com, discover books.com.

If you have a copy of Grinslades “Flintlock Fowlers” I’d be interested.

No, sorry, I don't. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[MLZ]

I love books, and have a ton of them. A lot of the titles that interest folks like us are only printed in limited numbers, and they don’t all stay in print. As stated above, some of them are worth more now than when they were new. As an example, I bought a little paperback entitled Texas Crude in about the mid eighties, written by Ken Weaver and illustrated by R. Crumb. It’s an illustrated dictionary of Texas slang. I paid $4.95 for it. However, I looked it up on Amazon a while back and they were asking about $200 for used copies. I couldn’t believe it. Right now they show prices ranging from around $75 to $150. Still unbelievable.

If they are in good condition, and you just want to move them out, I think half the new price would be fair. The last time I sold books to a used book dealer, they were only paying 10% of the purchase price. I think you are wise to offer them here first.

If you want to take the trouble to research individual titles, I would recommend looking them up on AbeBooks.com, which is much more user-friendly than Amazon, and prices are more realistic. This should give an idea of what they are worth.

Best of luck to you, my friend.

Notchy Bob

Thanks, Notchy Bob. I hadn't considered ABE Books, but I'll check them out.

 

[MLZ]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. After I've done a little researching, I'll start posting titles.

 

[kickon]

I'm not sure where to put this, so decided to start here. I can move it if asked.

The handwriting is on the wall for me, and I need to start weeding out gear and books. Over the last fifty-odd years I've managed to accumulate about 2,000 titles of respected resource material. Most of it is in excellent condition. What I'm trying to figure out is what is a fair price for a title in great condition. I've looked at ads here and elsewhere, without coming to a conclusion. Would 1/3 the price of new be fair? And yes, I know it's worth whatever someone will pay for it, but ...

Opinions welcome. Thank you.

how about Notes on Southern Long Rifles by Jerry Nobles Volumes 1 thru 4 or any combo thereof???

 

[tom in nc]

It appears that most gun book sellers try to get rich from book sales.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Read the Classified Guidelines and FOLLOW the guidelines or your ad will be deleted!
Nit Wit

Didn't see no ad, the poster is asking for suggestions. Really wit ole boy you need to lighten up a bit, seems to be a pattern developing with you on these types of posts.

 

[Sooty Scot]

Fusil de Chasse or NE Underhammers - If you have anything on them, I'm interested. Probably can't afford them, but interested.

 

[S.Kenton]

I’d like a descent book on Fowlers and/ orTrade guns

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Didn't see no ad, the poster is asking for suggestions. Really wit ole boy you need to lighten up a bit, seems to be a pattern developing with you on these types of posts.

YET it was posted among the ads.... not among the threads....
Now it has been moved so that he may get more input

LD

 

[appalichian hunter]

See that's all it took, he even stated he wasn't sure where to put the question. I always felt a question out of the gate was better than a threat right off.

 

[MLZ]

It appears that most gun book sellers try to get rich from book sales.

If it's a business, I can understand higher prices. I'm just looking for a fair price.

 

[#blackpowderbill]

I use to trade,collect,sell old books .

An old timer told me to make a list then post it on your blog.
Do a little search for title and prices.
You have to decide if you want to sell the books at a fair price. because you've enjoyed them and you want other people to enjoy them and be able to afford them.

And don't be afraid to charge a little more if you have some titles that are well worth it.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

One of my suggestions for the forum is that any books about hunting, shooting, camping, and related history be allowed to be sold here. Most of us have many interests other than just muzzle loading and enjoy reading on a variety of subjects. For example, I have Stuart Edwards Whites series on travels in Africa as well as Frederick Selous storeis of wandering in Africa, with a 4 bore muzzleloader, in his early days. John Taylors writing along with Theodore Roosevelt writings and Greeners The Gun and its Development, etc. etc. Oh well, I guess I'll just will them to the local library before I kick the bucket.