Signed first editions of books are generally more valuable than unsigned editions or later releases. Find their value online by visiting abebooks.com, amazon.com or eBay.com, or by getting a professional appraisal by a local book dealer. Handwriting experts can verify the signature.
Instructions
Finding Rare Book Values
1. Visit the Advanced Book Exchange at abebooks.com to find out how much your signed first edition sells for. The website has a high percentage of reputable, experienced sellers who describe their first editions in detail. Compare your book carefully to the descriptions of it found on the website if you are wondering if your book is authentic. Often, minor details about a book distinguish it as a true first edition. Abebooks.com can tell you what dealers are asking for the book, but not what the book has actually sold for in the past.
2. Research the book at eBay.com. Sellers there almost always post a picture of the book, or multiple pictures, unlike many other book selling sites, and these photos can tell you within a few moments if you have the same book. Most important will be a picture of the signature. Compare it carefully to the one in your book to judge whether or not it is authentic. A "completed auctions" search at eBay will tell you what the book actually sold for, not just what a dealer is asking for it. Recognize, though, that the sales price will vary depending on the condition of the book and, sometimes, competition between bidders.
3. Look at Amazon.com to see how many copies of the book are now for sale and the price. By comparing these prices to the ones at Abebooks and eBay, you will get a good sense of the price range and the market.
4. Search Bookfinder.com, a service that searches many different book databases to find comparative prices. The more comparable items you can see, the more accurate your price estimate will be.
5. Visit an antiquarian or rare book shop in your area. Call first to set up an appointment. If you want the book appraised, there will be a fee, sometimes as much as $100.00 per hour (see Resources). The Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America has a vigorous ethics policy for booksellers and appraisers and will let you search for a reputable shop in your area at abaa.org/. For sellers to join they must be sponsored by reputable dealers, and make it through a tough application process (see Resources).
6. Consult a forensic handwriting expert only if the signature has the potential to be extremely valuable. Professionals are certified by the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners, and can be located through the Find an Expert link at abfde.org. Costs could run as much as $55.00.
