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Authenticity is Everything
What constitutes a “rare” book?
My focus for this discussion is not so much on rare books in general, but rather on rare signed books. However, I thought that perhaps defining the former might bring perspective to the latter.
So how few copies of a book must there be in order to bring on the adjective “rare”?
I know that some rare books can be worth thousands of dollars regardless whether or not they’re signed by the author.
Basically, I’m looking at the possibility of buying a book that is limited to 2500 copies, or rather 2500 First Edition hardback SIGNED copies.
So...is that rare? I’m just curious, and I’d really like to get our knowledgeable members’ opinions on this topic. Thanks in advance.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by James on
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Gutenberg’s signature is nowhere to be found. However, inexplicably the book contained the thought-to-be-authentic autographs of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John along with an inscription that reads, “I approve of this message, Faithfully Yours, J.C.”
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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on
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So it's like the Doors. The books are signed by the entire band except the one everyone wants.
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Permalink Reply by Josh Board on
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This comment above...is the funniest thing I've seen on the internet in a month. Well done, James!
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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on
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Indeed! I know James Cameron looks old now but jeez ;)
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Well, it is more than a "book"! It was the start of a revolution.
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More from the National Library of Scotland:
”First editions, especially if printed in small numbers, are particularly prized by book collectors. An example is the first hardback edition of 'Harry Potter and the Philosophers' Stone', of which only 500 copies were printed.”
Recently on eBay, one of these First Editions of Harry Potter and the Philosophers’ Stone sold for roughly $2600.
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That also has a huge following if of a different kind. "Prized" is not rare. Is a Van Gogh canvas a rare item? Desirable certainly. But every museum you visit in every reasonably large city in the world usually has at least one if not more. Impressive and important are different to me. Demand, numbers...
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The bottom line, however, as it relates to my OP is...I agree that 2500 copies does NOT constitute rare.
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Agree 100%. Rare would be,I believe, an 1865 or 66 Alice by Appleton(IIRC) that did not get sent back to the UK because of the bad first set of Tenniel(SP?) illustrations but wound up in an orphanage in New England. And survived reasonably intact.
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For the card collectors here, does anyone know approximately how many1952 Topps Mickey Mantles are still in existence. I know a PSA 10 sold for what...about $8 million? A PSA 1 is even worth about $7k-$10k I believe.
I think it’s safe to say a PSA 10 of the 1952 Topps Mantle is rare.
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