Unseen Library - selling price

[creativehearts]

I have nine Terry pratchett books and wanted to sell. Books are from the discworld novel - unseen library. All BCA

The colour of magic - 2001 CN7198
THE LIGHT FANTASTIC - 2001 CN7218
EQUAL RITES - 2001 CN7218
MORT - 2002 CN110260
SOURCERY- 2002 CN110263
WYND SISTERS 2002 CN110262
PYRAMIDS 2003 CN119058
GUARDS GUARDS 2003 CN119059
ERIC 2003 CN119060

Each has coloured maps inside and excellent conditon. All hardback bound with gold lettering.
I was wondering if anyone had knowledge for selling price.
Thank you

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body

 

[creativehearts]

Take it these books together are not worth much

 

[Tonyblack]

They are worth what people are prepared to pay for them. Have you tried looking at how much they are selling for on sites such as Abe Books?

For example - here's what The Colour of Magic is going for as an Unseen Library copy.

Of course, a lot of collectors got very annoyed when they stopped making these and a certain amount of interest was lost in them I think.

Good luck if you are trying to sell them.

 

[pip]

Tend to stick with the first editions rather than later special editions to be honest. But some of them seem to go for a bit

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

The most I would pay is for one is £15 they are nice but not must have's, I recently bought two for £25.

 

[jtrhoades]

Yeah, I picked up a first edition Color of Magic for $25, I can't imagine the special editions going for that much.

Maybe in another 10-20 years.

 

[=Tamar]

I have nine Terry pratchett books and wanted to sell. Books are from the discworld novel - unseen library. All BCA [snip] Each has coloured maps inside and excellent condition. All hardback bound with gold lettering.

As they say, selling price is what people will pay. However, not everybody had a chance to buy them, and there is a certain element of fun to having the Unseen Library name. If you describe them well on eBay, they might go for much more than predicted. I'd advise emphasizing the (near) perfect condition, gold decoration, and out-of-print-collectible elements. It's very important to have lots of good photographs. Give details, explain abbreviations like BCA, and above all, don't lie; the truth well-presented is far more effective. If you have trouble with spelling, have someone who knows go over the text for you or at least use a dictionary. Be sure to fix missing capital letters (such as "pratchett" and "discworld" above in your post). Complete sentences help - "wanted to sell" what? Sure, I assume it's the books you wanted to sell, but it could be that you wanted to sell some else you own so you can afford to keep the books. There is no Discworld novel titled Unseen LIbrary, but I thought at first that was what you intended to say. It would be clearer to write "The books are from the collectible Unseen Library fine editions of Discworld novels." Please note, this is not a flame, this is advice. I know how I react to badly-written eBay offers, and I don't think you want that response.

 

[Fragus]

Bit late on this post, but I hope this helps a bit. I totally agree with the posts here with book values, only worth what someone wants to pay.
The Unseen Library is a strange beast indeed. A desirable book club edition, which breaks all known rules of book collecting. These are usually sold individually, half set (9) or full set (18), plus the most collectable (IMO) Maskarade (the mispelt printing).
Normally the earlier the book in the authors repetoire the least amount of copies printed (they aren't famous and collectable). As they gain fame and popularity the amount of 1st print runs are increased to meet demand. However with the Unseen Library editions it is turned on its head. More people ordered "The Colour of Magic" 7000 copies printed, than the final book printed "Maskerade" 3000 copies. Therefore rarity should make Maskerade more collectable and thus more expensive........ wrong. The more common early novels fetch the most money....... I guess it a perceived rarity based on the original book.
Selling prices... Do not believe what people attempt to sell them for on Ebay, most are dealing in them and try to inflate the value. I always look at dealers on Abe books and divide by 3.... yep three. This is because that is their livelihood and they have to pay business rent etc etc. They also need make a fair margin with scope for bartering. Many on Ebay set strange values. Have a look at what they have sold for in the past and see what opening offer was.
To sell pick a fair price to offer up at and then you will get more interest. If you put "The Colour of Magic" out starting at £100, you will probably just be giving Ebay free money for insertion fees, as people will more often as not, ignore it as greedy. Always have a price in you head that you will be willing to part with them at.
I have seen Equal Rites for anywhere between £80-£120. I came across one cheap £4.00, decided I didn't want to collect them and sold it for about £40.00. I made a good profit against my purchase price and the buyer got a good deal based on the normally advertised prices. All good all round
Good luck if you are selling them. Sorry for meandering along

 

[Tonyblack]

Thanks Fragus!

Of course there was also the run of incorrectly spelled Maskerade book. Some copies had "Maskarade" printed on the front.

Maskerade

Maskarade

 

[Fragus]

Hi Tony

This is the only one I own, I have the mispelt one, I have just checked, it is not only the cover that is mispelt, it's mispelt on the top of every page. I'll have to skim through it to see if it is mispelt in the text.

 

[Tonyblack]

It's a really bad mistake for them to have made. I sometimes wonder if that's what caused the ultimate demise of the series.

 

[Fragus]

Well they had to double the print run, and pay for the return of misprints. Plus the order was less then half of the first book. All that together wouldn't have helped. But as what caused them to go under I have no idea!

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

I thought that they came back under another name.

 

[Fragus]

I thought that they came back under another name.

A lot of companies do, but I don't know for sure. They may well have.

 

[creativehearts]

Thanks to everyone who corrected my grammar :angelic-flying:
I have not sold the books as yet but will use the information you have provided me with.
Will be selling on ebay within next seven days.

Many thanks
Liz

:angelic-little:

 

[Tonyblack]

Good luck with the sale, Liz!

 

[creativehearts]

Hi, I sell other items on ebay often but would hate to undersell these. I have been looking at various internet pages and these books seem to sell for around £30 - £40. Guard Guard seems more difficult to purchase. Not sure of all the values as yet, so will need to do more homework Would prefer to sell all together but everyone seems to be selling individually.. Any further information would be appreciated. :-? Liz

:angelic-little:

 

[kizkiz]

Having just purchased the last couple I needed to complete the collection, I found that they go for an average of £25 on eBay. I saw a few for buy it now £12.99 this week too. Ignore what they are for sale at, as anything higher than £30 ish just won't sell

 

[Tonyblack]

Thanks kizkiz and welcome to the site.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

At £12.99 that's the most I would consider paying for them.