How to Collect Cartoon Art Books

Cartoon book collecting is a hobby that has the potential to yield a good return on investment. Some collectors buy comic books for nostalgic reasons, and some buy them for financial gain. Either way, collecting cartoon books can be a fun and rewarding hobby.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Start Collecting

1. Decide which cartoon books you would like to collect. Perhaps there is a series from your childhood that you remember reading or some that you enjoy reading now.

2. Shop in bookstores, online at sites such as eBay, or at estate auctions for cartoon books.

3. Safeguard your collection, storing it in a dark, dry place. It is important to keep your cartoon books in pristine condition so they retain their value.

4. Wash your hands to remove oils before reading your cartoon books.

Selling Your Collection

5. Research the worth of each book. Ohio State's Cartoon Research Library offers a list of appraisers. Try "The Comic Art Price Guide" by Jerry Weist.

6. Sell your collections online at sites such as eBay or at auction houses such as Illustration House, Sotheby's or Christie's.

7. Price your collection based on the condition of each piece. The condition could be anything from mint to poor.

Tips & Warnings

• The older the books, the greater the potential value.
• Some comic book stores have posters of your favorite cartoon for sale.
• Not all books will increase in value, so be selective in choosing your collection.

Resources

• The Cartoon Art Museum
• Display your comic books and meet other collectors at iTaggit.
• Purchase books at Amazon.com.
• The leading online auction site is eBay.
• The Cartoon Research Library at Ohio State