Become a Rare Book Collector

It's usually not a well discussed hobby, but book collecting can be both fulfilling and lucrative. Where can you go to find rare books, and what type of books usually go up in value while other remain static? Don't worry, I'll discuss everything I know about this hobby, and soon you too can quickly become a book collector.

From the very beginning you have to know what book you are looking for. While you will most likely want first edition books, if you want another keep that in mind too (sometimes there are second or third editions with odd colorings or mistakes that makes them more rare than the first edition, but only sometimes). Also know the author name, the title, ISBN, everything about the book you can find out. That way searching is much easier, and you won't get duped when buying.

Now, if this is a new book or a not too old one, you may get lucky and the book will still be in print. Before saying how preposterous the notion is, check it out. It would be much easier to get the book from a publisher than it would, going around auctions hoping to find it.

However, most of the time rare books are no longer in print. So what can we do then? Well, there are auctions for rare books, as I am sure you have guessed, but if you go there expect to pay top dollar for your books. What does that mean to me? Not a really good investment.

How can you get them cheap? Well, many people don't know how rare and lucrative books can be, so you can easily find some rare books just sitting at a yard sale, on ebay, and Amazon. While the price is maybe a $1, there is one problem usually associated with buying from these places. Quality of the book. Generally people rip the pages, the cover is loose, etc. So be on the look out at these cheap spots, but also make sure you get the highest quality you can as well.

Also get a look at book sellers in the area and what they are selling. While Barnes and Nobles or Borders may have it (so rare it's barely worth checking) there are many book sellers around that take care of rare books and may not know how rare they are. Since they are specialized in the field however, they probably know, but it would still be a good investment to buy from them.

Now that we know spots for obtaining these rare books, what books have been shown to go up in value? For one, books that are printed on old, wooden block presses. Or, those which have been hand painted.

Also, you will notice art books, atlases, and diaries are common to rise in value. While some religious books, such as Bibles, may if you have a very specific edition and print time, don't expect them to go far at all.