How Do I Find The Value Of An Item?
I have just come across a book I want to list which I think may be quite collectible but am unable to find a value for it anywhere. I have checked all the main sites, ABE Books etc but no one has it listed.
It is listed on Amazon but is showing as currently unavailable. At one time Amazon used to give a guide on previous prices fetched by currently unavailable books but they do not seem to do this anymore. Don’t know if SS would have any records of past prices.
The book is a 12 page glossy booklet titled “Gateway To The South” The Centenaryof the Huddersfield & Sheffield Junction Railway. by Stanley Chadwick Published by The Venturers Press Ltd of Huddersfield in 1950. I have found other titles by the same author but nothing on this one.
Can anyone suggest where else I might look or should I just list it for auction on ebay & trust to luck?
10 replies
Seller_77We8elabxDtT
I have quite a few books for sale of which mine is the only copy on Amazon. I tend to ignore the prices on the other sites, which are often absurdly high, and list for either £12.66 or £6.60 because I like those numbers. If it’s still sitting there a year later I drop the price. Only twice out of about 50 books like this has it been snapped up immediately, making me think in those cases I listed too low. Usually they sell in time like most things in second hand books. I don’t mind - I’m happy with the profit and I’ve got the shelf space back.
Seller_cJms0GbotqqtV
You know from your research that it is rare. I can’t find any copies listed for sale anywhere.
The important question is whether it is collectable. It is railwayana, so the answer is yes.
The next question is how sought-after it might be. For a 12-page booklet, I would think demand will be quite niche, even within the pool of railway collectors out there. As a rule of thumb for such items, I go for £1 a page; so £11.95 for your item.
Chances are that if you auction it on eBay there will be no bids, or it will sell at your starting price. I would try it on Amazon first. And be patient.
Paul
Seller_4GYAcb6xmPoXB
Thanks for your reply. I’m not as familiar with Ebay as Amazon so havn’t done any checking on there. As mentioned it has been previously listed on Amazon but no indication of what price. I may try it on Ebay initially but with a starting price of around £10, which if it is quite rare should attract some interest, if not then I nave lost nothing & can always lower the price.
Seller_K8edOfPu9HEmN
With unusual things and when unsure it’s always better to list high and drop the price by small amounts monthly.
Nothing worse than putting something up for sale too cheap and it being snapped up (by the opposition usually). It’s one of those “Oh bu**er” moments
