What are Detective Book Club editions worth?
In most cases $1-5 each.
These books were created in large quantities, and with only a very few exceptions none of them are rare. Book club editions are generally held in low regard by book collectors.
Most collectors or interested buyers of these books are readers, less concerned with condition and more concerned with the content. Damaged books; those that are musty, dogeared, torn, with loose covers, drawn or marked on are often still wanted as reader's copies as long as all pages are intact, but the value is low.
Early editions, 1941-1943, in mint condition with crisp, clean, bright and un-yellowed dust jackets should command something of a premium. The leather bound reprint of the first DBC volume also typically commands a premium.
While the initial books were of high quality, the materials used declined through the decades. Some editions used cheap paper that has darkened or browned, and the later books with glued bindings are very prone to cracking once the glue has dried out subsequently falling apart when opened or read.
Generally, variables that may affect price include intact dust jackets, and the condition of the dust jackets (the low quality paper used for most of these jackets is often yellowed or browned and crumbling), overall condition, early and or late editions - books from the early 1940s and later 1990s tend to be a little scarcer. Books from the mid 1940s through the mid 70s are the most common.
These books were created in large quantities, and with only a very few exceptions none of them are rare. Book club editions are generally held in low regard by book collectors.
Most collectors or interested buyers of these books are readers, less concerned with condition and more concerned with the content. Damaged books; those that are musty, dogeared, torn, with loose covers, drawn or marked on are often still wanted as reader's copies as long as all pages are intact, but the value is low.
Early editions, 1941-1943, in mint condition with crisp, clean, bright and un-yellowed dust jackets should command something of a premium. The leather bound reprint of the first DBC volume also typically commands a premium.
While the initial books were of high quality, the materials used declined through the decades. Some editions used cheap paper that has darkened or browned, and the later books with glued bindings are very prone to cracking once the glue has dried out subsequently falling apart when opened or read.
Generally, variables that may affect price include intact dust jackets, and the condition of the dust jackets (the low quality paper used for most of these jackets is often yellowed or browned and crumbling), overall condition, early and or late editions - books from the early 1940s and later 1990s tend to be a little scarcer. Books from the mid 1940s through the mid 70s are the most common.