Super High Priced WoT Books?

[Incubate]

This is a small thing a noticed while i was at Barnesandnobles.com at the new and used book part.

I noticed things like The Dragon Reborn for $935.00, Fires of Heaven for $825.00 and so on, the whole list is here http://search.barnesandnoble.com/used/titleresults.asp?x=37&PEAN=&z=y&TTL=&CNT=Robert+Jordan&PRC=500%2D1000&y=7

 

What Gives? Is there anything really that special about these specific books to make them worth almost $1000?

[the dude]

i saw that once with a robin hobb book, and emailed the vendor to ask what the deal was. i think my words were "what god signed this?"

 

they never wrote back. :roll:

[Kivam]

Check the details of each book and you'll see. TDR is a leather-bound limited edition 1st printing. TFoH is a signed limited edition.

 

Not that anyone I know would think those prices are reasonable even given the special nature of each book, but the reasons are there.

[x3tscout]

i dont know about the 1000 dollar hardbacks but id settle for exchanging my sorta messed up ripped up a little paper back books its just a matter of time i guess i already lost the pages up to the the prologue and a couple of pages from eye of the world i used to read books in the tub also which didnt help the binding

how come the people who get the 1st edition limited speacial stuff are selling it =/ that alone saddens me inside :evil:

[The Outsider]

Maybe they really need the money... I have several first edition hardbacks, but not limited edition or signed or anything, so I doubt they are worth anything, but I don't collect books for collectors value, I collect them for the content inside, so for me, if I needed money badly enough, I doubt I would mind selling a limited edition for a big profit and then just getting another hardback. Of course I'd keep it if I could. In some respects the later editions are better, cos' the errors that made it past the editors have been corrected.

[Werthead]

Over on another forum, there's been a big discussion about book collections, limited editions. One poster put up this image of his Wheel of Time leatherbound collection, whilst another did this image (and here's another one) of his signed collection.

[Graendals favourite]

Yea, collectors can be crazy. Well nothing for it I suppose if you have the money for it... I would almost hate the thought of having several of those first edition signed leather things, if the thought then came that I'd need to try to get one of each of the books to have a complete set of them..

[x3tscout]

im not sure if we are allowed to post pictures if we cant someone im sure will tell me but here is my collection

also im aware the first robert jordan book is missing i think my mom might have thought it was trash because it was so messed up at least mabye ill be able to get a hardback copy and i keep those in good condition compared to my other stuff

<-- i like to reread books alot hence the conditions of some of them

[Guest Egwene]

But what do people collect them for? Can't be for reading... I would be petrified to take that $1000 book with me in my daypack to read in the coffeeshop. I guess it is investment for most of these people.

[Werthead]

Because a signed, genuine first edition copy of The Eye of the World now goes for a four-figure sum! (Ka-ching! :) ) And in fifty years' time, perhaps that leatherbound Crossroads of Twilight will be the same? Although, with inflation, that might not be that much :(

 

More on RJ's prices here.

[Jimmyrun]

What Gives? Is there anything really that special about these specific books to make them worth almost $1000?

Well the value of a book can be due to many factors (Printing' date=' Rarity, Condition, Age, and other things) that have been mentioned but specifically to the books that were listed through that link they all seemed to be stated First Editions in good condition and some of them were even signed, which is a big deal.

 

The stated First Edition on early copies of RJ's books would be big because they were such limited runs, I believe tEotW only had like 5,000 or so books that were actually published so to find one is very rare. When I say First Edition I should clarify that there is a difference in First Editions because the First Edition signifies that the book has not had any revisions so mistakes like typos, names, etc. appear in them but to be a [b']true[/b] First Edition of value it would need to be the First Print. So in the case of tEofW you can have a First Edition that you purchased say 10 years after the original publication because the author never did a revision but it will not be a First Edition First Print, which is where the big money is, because it was not one of the original 5,000 that were initially printed.

 

Of course a book doesn't have to be a First Print to be of value. If you were to come across a rare print of The Count of Monte Cristo it would be valuable because it was rare not because it was necessarily a First Print. It's simple supply and demand.

 

Also, having the dust-jacket is a big deal to collectors and at least some of them list that they include the dust-jacket, which can indicate that the book is a true First Edition First Print and not a book club edition or something like that, which would be valued significantly less.

 

Another thing is that the book would need to be in good condition. I wouldn't expect to pay the kind of money these sellers are asking for a copy of these books that is in less than like new shape.

 

Seeing what the sellers list on these sites I wouldn't really want to get into anything because their lists don't give much of the detail that I explained collector's look for. I for one do enjoy collecting books but I prefer to do my buying at local rare book stores or at sites where I can get a more detailed explanation, such as http://www.abebooks.com or http://www.alibris.com there are more and if you really want to know I can provide the links to some of the ones I look at.

 

Also, if you really want to see expensive try finding some really old books like The Count of Monte Cristo or even doing a search for The Lord of the Rings trilogy (those are some of the most expensive I have seen as they can range in the multiple thousands of dollars range, meaning $15,000 or even more).

 

Last point to bring up is that the reason books are expensive, as I said before, is the same reason some art/paintings can be so expensive, people are willing to pay that kind of money, supply and demand. I mean I have seen books that pertain to the early founding of my religion go for over $100,000.

 

Edit: To be honest with you though the really expensive books are going to be sold at auction houses rather than other places such as online or in local rare book store. Also, I looked up the price on the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the highest was over $90,000.

[Incubate]

I mean I have seen books that pertain to the early founding of my religion go for over $100,000

 

Man....What religion do you have? No offense or anything....

[Jimmyrun]

Man....What religion do you have? No offense or anything....

 

No offense taken. I am actually a Mormon, and as to the books in question I have included a link to a newspaper article by one of the newspapers in Utah if you would like to read about some of the books that talking about.

 

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,650212769,00.html

[loki redfern]

my mum tryed to make me a mormon when i was younger. religion seems to fail on me. meh. oh anyway my actual point id seen an ad like that at when id just posted something the other day, but i forget about it till i saw this, i never even though it was for signed 1st editions and such. cool. though i couldnt see the point myself, not second hand any way, it would have to go it my of memories of buy and geting it signed. and anyway books are for reading. you spend less. you buy more. you read more. 3 for 2 good. and i was like quite pleased that the first pic werthead gave a link to i had two of the books, as well as the WOT ones 8) . some other people out there have taste to

[ServantOElohim]

Books are tremendouse as investments long term, Bill Gates purchased a Gutenberg Bible for 38.4 million dollars, and a copy of shakespears writtings went for close to 13 million dollars, impressive by any standards.

 

I would not part with my signed crossroads for a mere thousand dollars though....

 

The day I was able to meet RJ was too great. My wife took our picture and it will forever be a part of my collection, though my shiftless kids will likely sell it when I am worm food..

 

heh

[Lefty]

Because a signed' date=' genuine first edition copy of The Eye of the World now goes for a four-figure sum! (Ka-ching! :) ) And in fifty years' time, perhaps that leatherbound Crossroads of Twilight will be the same? Although, with inflation, that might not be that much :(

 

More on RJ's prices here.

 

I knew those were Stego's books you were showing. That collection is plode worthy.

[loki redfern]

lefty - does that mean your a left-hander?

[Lefty]

lefty - does that mean your a left-hander?

 

No, just short for my old CoL name Lefty Longsword.

[loki redfern]

oh :(