Extra Cash from Old Books

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Illustraton by MOTHER EARTH NEWS Staff
Depending on factors such as the author, subject matter, or geographic region, old books can have surprising staying power. Find the right volume and you might earn extra cash from it.

Have you ever wondered what the old books in that attic trunk are worth? And what about those dusty volumes on the top shelf of Grandma’s pantry?

Books such as these just might bring in a tidy little sum. During my first year of college, while working in a public library, I became interested in old books and in the market that exists for them. I discovered that getting the right book to the right person can be a profitable venture. And ever since, I’ve been making money in my spare time buying and selling old, rare, and out-of-print books to second-hand book dealers, who in turn sell them to collectors, scholars, and people interested in reading on specific topics.

If you, too, have a fascination for old books, and if you have a bit of detective in you, you may have the makings for a profitable part time home business. But first, you need to know what makes books valuable and who’s willing to pay extra cash for them.

What Makes Books Valuable?

When you’re talking in terms of collector-quality volumes, you can eliminate several categories right away: textbooks, old Bibles (they have sentimental value only), modern mass-market paperbacks, and book club selections.The latter are produced in such great quantities and with such inexpensive materials that most aren’t worth more than a nickel or dime each, no matter where you buy or sell them (and no matter what some dealers may charge for them). A large number of such books might bring in a few dollars, but don’t count on it.

  • Published on Mar 1, 1985
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