Dune First Edition Value & Cost Comparison (Dune Price Guide)

 

Dune Editions and Values Based on market prices from websites such as eBay, Amazon, and other rare book sellers, based on a study of three years market evaluation and obsession.

 

__________________________________________Fine____Good____Fair______Signed

 

Dune 1st Edition - HC First Printing                      $4,000+      3550       1900           10,000

 

Dune 1st Edition - HC Second Printing                   1300          875          675               5800                  

 

Dune 1st Edition - HC Third Printing                      1000          675          500               5000 

 

Dune 1st Edition - HC Fourth Printing                      425           380          275              2000

 

Dune 1st Edition - HC Fifth Printing                         200           160          125                 ??

 

Dune 1st Edition - HC Sixth-Ninth                            125            90             65                 ??

 

Dune 1st Edition - Book Club Edition                        80              50             20                ??

 

Dune 1st Edition - PB First                                         60              50             25                ??

 

Dune 1st Edition - PB Second                                    50               30             20                ??

 

Dune 1st Edition - PB Third                                       35               25             10                ??

 

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-- Q & A --

 

 

 
 

 

 
 How do I know if my copy of Dune is a first edition, first printing?

A: All Dune first/first HC copies have BLUE cloth boards. Subsequent printings have light RED cloth boards.

My copy has red cloth boards, and says first edition, which printing is it?

A: Up until the fifth edition, they were labeled as above. If it does list the specific edition, it will be the first number of seemingly random numbers under the Printing information. Ie.. the bottom image above is a ninth printing.

How can I tell if my copy is a book club edition?

A: The price of the book will be under $10.00 on the flap of the dust jacket. First edition books listed for $5.95, third and fourth 7.95, and so on. No first edition Dune is listed at over 10.00 on the flap. You will notice sellers on eBay trying to get away with selling a BCE copy as a later edition or first edition because of the similarities. Book Club Editions are fun to collect as they resemble the original first editions if it is priced well. BCE copies have bright RED cloth or canvas boards.

I see first edition Dune's on eBay for much more than $4,000. Why?

A: Several reasons. #1: The seller is trying to boost the price of the other auctions he has selling the same book. The above image I took was the third time seeing the same book, with the same pictures and description by the same seller at a higher price. Anyone in the market to buy one will see the "Value" and buy the lowest. #2: The seller believes that his copy is special in some way. Unless it is signed, it is not special, and you should use the table above. Having seen what actually sells over the years and recording it, I can say my estimates are pretty close. #3: It is the rare exception where the book is really honest and truly, near-mint condition and needs it's value to be reconsidered. Books of such quality can bring well over my estimates, I just don't see them very often or at all to give you a great value of it. Also, the + next to my value could extend to nearly $5,000 if a buyer is in the right mood but it is very rare.

Paperbacks seem to be always in terrible condition and over priced. Do people really collect them?

 

A: People really like the paperbacks, as its pretty much an introduction to rare book collecting, on a budget. There are various printings and editions, but this is one thing I've noticed over the years: people don't know what they are looking at. First through tenth printings all look the same when it comes to the first edition 1965 paper back. The only way you can tell? The price of the book. .95 cents was the original price of the book and is the only sign you need. Prices range up to around $1.50, and on eBay they sell for all around the same price without much consideration to condition. People that have done the research will know what they are looking at, and if they are smart, will use the guide above.

 

 

Are forgeries out there? Do people fake the signatures?

 

A: I have only seen one really bad signature forgery. Just really obvious and not his style. Look above. That's what is looks like. Always with a Bic-type pen, and always, I mean always has the name crossed out. Even on book proofs he will cross out his name, no matter how small it is. As far as faking the whole book, or switching out boards, I would have no way to confirm this. I have only ever held one first edition with my hands, and would not know what to look for. The dust jacket seems it would be very, very easy to rip off. The jacket is the same as the BCE copies out there, scan it, change the price on the flap using pictures also on eBay, make it look old-ish, and sell it as an earlier edition. Other books of the time had blue boards, and were the same size. It would be more elaborate, but could be pulled off to make a few grand. Just be careful. Ask for more pictures when buying.

Lots more information here on gutter codes and some more things to look for. 





Books: Why do they increase in value? (Dune PB)

     I was on eBay, checking on the steady rise of value of Fantasy and Science Fiction, when I came about this listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-FRANK-HERBERT-DUNE-True-1st-EDITION-PAPERBACK-/290954701196?pt=Antiquarian_Collectible&hash=item43be40698c

    Right now, there are no other Dune first edition paper backs on eBay. Not a single one. Obviously this person, this smart business minded person had the sense to notice that and get one up for about six times it's value. Will it sell? In my experience with such things, sometimes it will. Once I sold a Neuromancer, a book I found commonly at Paperback Exchanges in the area with great frequency, for about double its going rate, only because it's the only one I saw on there in a while.

     Is it gouging? I don't think so. Will it cause a artificial inflation of the market? Possibly. Much the way prices of popular vintage video games have skyrocketed over the years. When I collected video games they were so cheap, I could pick up two or three uncommon games for a few bucks. I bought five copies of Secret of Mana for Super Nintendo, because it was my favorite game and the save battery would go dead, for $3 each. You get the point. The same thing that effects anything vintage and collectible, happens with books.. for the following reasons.

Why Books go up in Price:

1) The condition of a book always get worse with time.
2) Authors die.
3) Movies/TV Shows get made.
4) Book are reprinted.
5) Books are out of print.
6) Internet/Social Media Trending

Roll 1D6 two times with the above table to tabulate a response from the market.

     Example: The Hobbit

    J.R.R. Tolkien is dead, the books went out of print, books are reprinted in the millions, movies get made, it trends on the interwebs, and booyah, books = bank.

    When I was taking the pictures of my Dune first editions for this post on my keyboard, I was thinking, "Do I have $600.00 worth of books on my desk right now?" The answer is, and I'm pretty sure you all will agree with me, is.. no. Scrutinize the condition, the fading, the whatever it takes, never pay $300 for a Dune first edition. I don't care how big a fan you are.

Video Blog #1 Book Case Overview

     I thought that this would be a good way for people to see some of my more visible and not in storage collection in my downstairs living room. Most of my series stuff and vintage end up here. Most of my pick-ups and unrecorded books end up here as well, so you might recognize some if you follow the blog. My wife recognizes them as junk, and space taker-uppers.

     It's a mess I know. I need more shelves both up and downstairs. I'm working on it. These videos are part of the "Some of the Books I own" post.

A very, very good Top 50 Sci-Fi List.

    
     I'm at like 99% original content, pictures and the like, but I had to pass this Flavorwire Top 50 Science Fiction book link along to who ever reads the blog.

http://flavorwire.com/408275/50-sci-fifantasy-novels-that-everyone-should-read/view-all

     Fantastic list of great and different books, put together by someone who has actually read them. I love to see this kind of stuff hit the front page of Reddit. Anyways, go over to Flavorwire and check out the list. How many have you read?

Mac Bolan Book Adventure Quest

 

     Kind of a slow day, work-wise.. especially for a Thursday. I went out and built some displays, and started to feel a bit adventurous.. Time make Jared happy and go on a Mac Bolan Book Adventure Quest.. of epic questing. Now where is that picture he sent me on Facebook?

 

 

     Yes, he used a picture from my blog to help me find books for him. I brought the picture up on my phone, showed it to my buddy at the Flea Market.. and..

 

 

     ..Bam! .50 cents of happiness. Angry black man on the cover and all. The best covers are on old Mac Bolan novels. At this point I head over to a place I knew had quite a good selection of Executioner, and called him.





 

     About 10 pictures and 5 phone calls later, we narrowed down the list to a select few morsels.

 



     For some reason this is only picture I could find with the books I bought, but I think I bought five. They are in a box downstairs ready to be shipped when the box gets full. Ill have to check that out. As you can see, I also nabbed a couple of books for myself. I told myself I would go to one more store and check out whats new.

 
     I walked in, and the owner had put this aside for me. A whole box of vintage Daw classics from the 70's and 80's. All in unread condition. My budget spent, I asked her if she could cut me some kind of deal, which she refused almost right away. I insisted, she called someone and shot me down again. The final price was $3.50 a book, and I'd have to buy them all. Average selling price on eBay is not really much more than that, so I can guess where she got her price. I few in the box go for around $10.00.. I decided to pass. I know what your thinking. How could I pass on such a great offer? Well, I have about a third of them in my collection already, and Daw books are only worth something if the cover art is awesome, or they are super early editions. These were kind good condition, mostly later editions, and not the greatest cover art. She did agree to put them back under the table and wait for me to call her before she heads to eBay with them. A huge let down, but I did get some other good ones..

     My cat, Artax, smelled something funny on the books. Some great cool first editions, one in particular I really liked by Isaac Asimov.

     First edition Face and Fancy. Kind of like a precursor to the Book of Facts he released years later. Cover art is strange and wonderful, and cat-attracting. I spent my $10.00 allowance today, but since I had such good fortune finding a few gems, I decided to take one more side trip.

     All the book hunting makes you hungry, so after careful consideration, my son and I decided it would be best to have pizza and discuss the finer points in life, the world, and everything.

Garage Sale Saturday: Old Macgregor

 

     Had a few minutes before my wife really got out of bed so I took a fast little spin down the street where the houses are nicer, and people behave differently, often badly, because they have more money than most people. That said..

 

 

     Two Super old books, randomly picked from a couple of old snobs asking too much money for everything. Some how, I got away with these two gems for.. .25 cents.

 

     Twenty-five cents. Take that rich people.

 

 

 

 





Super Thrift Shopping.. at Super Thrift.

    
     So decided to give this super huge Thrift Store by the train tracks another chance. It's pretty ghetto. Nothing electronic I bought from there ever works. It's 99% clothes, and it smells like Kenny Rogers in there. Not the chicken place, I mean, Kenny-fucking-Rogers.

     Some first edition, late printing Harry Potter books.. always good for a quick eBay turn-around..l but alas.. $3.99 each! I don't think so Super Thrift. Shame on you.

 

 

     Look what we have here. C.O.P.S. VHS tape. Fantastic short-lived cartoon from my youth. Great animation for it's day. Also, I saw some PC games, both without the codes. A used copy of Ever Quest II, a failed MMORPG, for $10. (sarcasm) Sign me up!

 





      Fail again guys. The shirts were super organized by color and type. The pants too. No books, no cool things to show you. I'm out of here.

Another box in the mail! What could it be?

What could it be? Wait, its books! It says so right on it.

 

      SO my mom must have been busy lately, because she surprised with me with a big box of books this morning! The box weighed in at around thirty pounds. I see she did not cross out the remote on the box, so I'm assuming it includes one for the purposes of this blog post.

 

     This morning was also daddy-boy day, so I had help setting everything up, and unwrapping.

 



Contents when first opened, my offspring tore it from my greedy hands.

 

A kids book for Major II! He read all of it right away.

 

Whats this I see? Some IF mags from the sixties! Awesome.

 

A closer look, relics of the past.

 

I love Spam. Its healthy, salty, jellied covered quasi-meat, makes me purr. The texture? Sublime.

 

A TV Guide for my Trekkie wife. Janeway is a bitch, for the record. At this pointed, Major spotted something for him I missed.

 

Toy Story cards from the very first Toy Story! Of course, they had to be played with right away.

 

All the books out of the box. Wow! It's like finding One Eyed Willy's Rich Stuff.

 

 A little up close HD images so you can zoom in and see the titles. All are early or first editions.

 

Really cool "Ace Double". Two books in one.

 

     Tons of books I did not have just fell in to my lap this morning, what a rare treat. Thanks Mom for hunting down some good classics for me. I saw your note that mentioned you supplemented the contents of the box with your own private stash. Well, you know your books will be in a good place. Of note: H.G. Wells early edition paper backs,  Animal Farm second printing, two Ace Doubles which in my experience are pretty rare, especially in this condition. As customary, gifted books do not get researched on eBay, but you can pretty much guess what some of this is worth.

 

     Spirits high, and morale boosted, father and son had one more adventure....

 



..We were hungry. Thanks grandma for the cool stuff.