Don’t ignore that old copy of The Wizard of Oz, instead, check that it’s not a signed first edition worth nearly 50,000 dollars.
While the odds of finding an extremely valuable book on your hands are quite small, many people sell and gift books without knowing their value. If you’re lucky, that means you could find a book worth a lot of money by chance.
While it takes a lot of expertise to appraise a book, particular editions are commonly known to be valuable. Keep reading to learn some of the most collectible books that you could find in your home or at your local resale shop.
Children’s Collectible Books
Some of the world’s most beloved books are children’s books, and particular titles can fetch you a pretty penny if they’re in decent condition. Here are some of the most expensive kids’ books that could be on your bookshelf right now.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
When the first Harry Potter book hit the U.S. Shelves in 1998, it had its title changed from The Philosopher’s Stone to the Sorcerer’s Stone. If you have the first edition, first printing copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, you stand to make 4,000-6000 dollars.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Originally published in 1964, a first edition, first printing copy of this classic could fetch you nearly 10,000 dollars. Check that your copy is from November 1963 and that it was published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. If so, you could have a very valuable book on your hands.
Inkheart
This recent children’s fantasy novel quickly became a hit, and certain copies of Cornelia Funke’s book are now very collectible. Signed first editions could be worth a couple of hundred dollars, and limited editions could be worth over 10,000 dollars.
Collectible Fiction
Though you might assume a book has to be old to be worth substantial money, there are many recent publications that are quite valuable. Here are a couple of books that you can look out for, especially if you want to sell used books online.
Life of Pi
Even though this title was published in 2001, certain copies are collectible books. If your copy is a Canadian Edition published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., it could be worth 2,000-4,000 dollars. While first editions are always worth more, any Candian edition of Life of Pi could be worth some money.
The DaVinci Code
Dan Brown doesn’t do many book signings, so signed first editions of his international hit The DaVinci Code are worth hundreds of dollars. The most expensive copy ever of this title sold for 4,000 dollars, so it could also earn much more depending on the market.
Keep an Eye Out for These Collectible Books
While the odds of finding a very rare book are low, you never know what editions are sitting in your local thrift shop. A few lucky people have made thousands of dollars with rare collectible books, so it never hurts to check the value of any editions you own.
Keep these common rare books in mind the next time your at a thrift store or going through your attic, as it could pay off.
