We're moving on ...

December 31, 2013 was a sad day for us. It marked the closing of our brick and mortar store in Las Vegas. A combination of things, increased space rental costs chief among them, brought about the decision to tear down the shelves.

We will continue to provide you with fine used, collectible and antiquarian books through our website.

Signed First Editions up for Grabs

Our bookshelves are heavy with signed first edition books, mysteries mostly.

So we're putting the shelves on a diet.

 We've started listing them on ebay  for now at the low starting bid of $3.99 and most of them can be snapped up for a buy-it-now price of $19.99. They are all first editions and some of them are the authors' first novels.

So, check out our EBAY LINK to grab something special.

How much is my old book worth: Pt. 2

Sometimes an old book is just an old book.
That's not to say it doesn't have personal value. It might have belonged to someone who was important to you or it might be something you've had since childhood.

Here are some guidelines to follow when looking for the value of an old book.

• Is it a first edition, a first printing?
• Is it signed or inscribed.
• Is it rare? (You can't find copies on the popular book selling sites).
• Is it in good condition? (Tight binding, no dog-eared pages, no missing pages, etc.

Here are some guidelines that suggest that a book probably has very little resale value.

• An old book that was originally produced with a dustjacket will be worth less if the jacket is no longer avaliable. 
• Ex-library books and book clubs or books that have been remaindered by the publisher.
• The book has been written in or highlighted. 

There are books that can still be called collectible if they meet the conditions listed here but they are the exception -- they have to be very, very hard to find.

Naturally, you can't always expect to find hundred-year-old books in fine  or mint condition (but they are around).

Here are some examples of books in fine condition. (click on the link for descriptions):

Here are some examples of hard-to-find books that are in fair or poor condition but still have value.

 

When you check the links, be sure to note the descriptions.

Disclaimer: The books featured in this post may have been sold and may no longer be active.

Got questions? Feel free to post in the comments area or drop us an email at plazabookslasvegas@gmail.com

Click here to read part one of this article.

How much is my old book worth? Pt. 1

How much is my old book worth? We hear this question daily, sometimes more than once a day in our store. When folks ask, we tell them that we MUST see the book. No reputable book dealer will ever appraise a book without being able to see it, touch it, investigate it.
Yes, it's possible to let the person know if there's a slight possibility that the book has value, but that's a touchy approach.
There's also the question of whether or not you want to sell your old book. In this case, it's a good idea tell the appraiser/dealer this up front that you just want to know what it's worth or that you do want to sell it. (A dealer will generally offer between 20 and 25% of retail value. While this may not seem like much, you have to understand that the dealer will have to market the book himself and may have it in stock for weeks, months, even years before a buyer appears. Telling the appraiser what you plan to do with the book doesn't mean the evaluation will change; it just means you won't be unnecessarily suspicious about the fairness of the pricing.
If you have access to the Internet (which you probably do since you're reading this article), you can do some checking on your own. You can visit websites such as abe books or bookfinder, or even amazon (but the latter, in our opinion, is not the best place to get a true value), to see if others are offering the same title.
But beware. When searching the net, you must find a title that is in the same condition as yours. Be as accurate as possible in your comparisons. Find listings that come as close as possible to the condition of your book.

Got questions? Feel free to post in the comments area or drop us an email at plazabookslasvegas@gmail.com


Click here to read part two of this article.

Vince Flynn

Vince Flynn, author of a number of political thriller books died last month (June 19, 3013).

Born in 1966, he was a consultant for the TV show 24 and author of the 12 best-selling titles featuring the character Mitch Rapp (listed here), as well as his first novel Term Limits.

Transfer of Power (1999)
The Third Option (2000)
Separation of Power (2001)
Executive Power (2003)
Memorial Day (2004)
Consent to Kill (2005)
Act of Treason (2006)
Protect and Defend (2007)
Extreme Measures (2008)
Pursuit of Honor (2009)
American Assassin (2010)
Kill Shot (2012)
The Last Man (2012)
The Survivor (2013)


Flynn is one of the most popular storyteller in this genre.

We carry Flynn's paperback books in the store, and have several first edition hardcovers as well. His novels have been among the most popular with our readers and he will be missed.

Book search: Finding the hard-to-find

Ever wonder which one of James Patterson's books you've missed?

Looking for a chronology of the works of Vince Flynn?

Remember a character but can't recall the author?

We get these kinds of problems everyday from customers at Plaza Books, and with thousands and thousands of used and collectible books in stock, we can't always come up with answers. Our solution? The internet of course. Within minutes, we can search for a list of books by James Patterson, divided into groups and in chronological order. And a quick search for a major character's name brings up the author.

Now, we often resort to sources like wikipedia or a bline google search but our favorite site for hunting, the place we get quick answers, is http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk.



Book selection of the month.



Based in the UK, this family-owned business is on top of the publishing information business and is a super source for quick searches. The site is minimalistic (not overloaded with affiliate ads), loads quickly, and responds just as quickly.

And now for the June book trivia, the following authors were born in June. Have you read any of them?

Maurice Sendak June 10, 1928
Andrew Weil June 8, 1942
Aaron Sorkin June 9, 1961
Iain Sinclair June 11, 1943
Richard Scarry June 5, 1919
Michael Shaara June 23, 1929
Tobias Wolff June 19, 1945
Immanuel Velikovsky June 10, 1895
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry June 29, 1900

Is Book Collecting a Good Investment?

As booksellers, we hear this question often: Is book collecting a good investment?

Since we are in the business of selling books, specifically antiquarian, signed firsts, out-of-print, and unique books, our response might be a bit too biased.

So, to prevent the obvious sales pitch format, we’ve collected some links to articles around the web that point out the high points and pitfalls of book collecting as an investment. There’s enough information (and advice) in these articles to help answer the question and point you to the entrance or exit.

Check them out and let us know if they’ve been helpful.

Is Book Collecting a Smart Invesment?

 

Rare Books as an Investment

Book Collecting

Rare Book Collecting as an Investment

FEATURED TITLE *** FEATURED TITLE

 

Second printing large softcover. Signed by the author/editor on title page with inscription "Charles Trinkle you can believe it", and dated 1/21/81. Illustrations. 406 pp. VG+ with no other markings.