How to Tell If a Book Is Rare?

Determine the importance of the book's contents. If it was an important literary work; was once suppressed or banned; announced an important historical or scientific discovery; or was illustrated by a well known artist, these are prime considerations.

Check the copyright page to see what edition the book is. If it contains language like "First Edition" or "First printed in the U.S. (or other country) by (Publisher)" it's fulfilled the first criterion of being more valuable or even rare. This is especially important if the book or the author are well known. And, of course, the age and condition of the book are significant factors.

Check the title page to see if it is signed by the author. An inscription addressed to a famous personality or marginal notations by someone well known will also add to market value.

Look at the physical characteristics such as binding and condition of the book. Leatherbound editions from Easton Press and Franklin command a higher price, and often they are signed editions as well. The better the condition it's in, the more valuable it is. Fairly standard conditions of a book include: "New," which indicates that it's unread and contains no flaws, dents or scratches, and the dust jacket has no tears. "As New" indicates that the volume contains no defects, missing pages or library stamps, and the dust jacket has no tears. A book in "Fine" condition may not be crisp, but still has no defects, and may have a small tear or blemish in the dust jacket. "Very Good" designates slight signs of wear, but no tears. "Good" indicates average wear with all pages still present. "Fair" shows that it's worn and may be missing end papers, but all text pages, maps or plates are still present. "Poor" is the designation for a book that still has all of its text pages, but may be missing maps, plates, or end papers. It is still readable, but it shows a good deal of wear and even spots or stains. If it's an early example of a new printing process, has a defective original binding, or contains a significant typographical error, these are arbitrary factors that many collectors take into consideration as well.

Connect with one of the booksellers listed in References or visit your local librarian or antiquarian bookseller for a formal appraisal and compare their observations with what you have discovered by following the above steps.