Things You'll Need:
- Internet Access
- Credit Cards
- Secured Credit Cards
- Computers
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Step 1
Know exactly what you're looking for before you begin your search. Having the complete title, author's name, edition number and publication year will help you locate the book.
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Step 2
Look in Books in Print to see if the book is still being published.
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Step 3
Lurk at garage sales, antique stores, estate sales and bookstore sales, and scan book dealer catalogs.
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Step 4
Check out eBay's and Amazon's auctions as well as some of the larger used book sites. Some Web sites have a search option that checks many small stores across the world.
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Step 5
Decide what condition is acceptable for your collection. If you're a collector, you'll generally want first editions and well-cared-for volumes.
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Step 6
Look for books printed on early presses or with wooden type. Woodblock pictures indicate a good investment, as do hand-colored illustrations and first editions that have been signed by the author.
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Step 7
Focus on books concerning art, diaries and atlases if you're looking for items that will appreciate in value. Bibles and other religious books generally do not.












Comments
lilolladystuff said
on 6/11/2009 Good advice and great article. Thank you.
erinatpbasf said
on 5/6/2009 Another place you can search for rare books is www.pbagalleries.com. They hold book auctions about twice a month. The variety of books (and manuscripts, photographs, artwork and more) is staggering. But you can easily search for specific titles on their website.
KuanShiYin said
on 2/16/2009 Be very wary of purchasing books on ebay and be wary of buying signed editions. You will want to make sure the dealer is reputable.
ScarlettOHairy said
on 1/28/2009 I love old books. Great resources for finding them!
slickdeals said
on 1/19/2009 Going to local store is old theme, long gone. For books go for online shopping used/new books at Amazon or Ebay.
And more better use price comparison website as your tool to buy books. That is smart move....
I love this simple website: http://www.textbookhunting.com
But there are more site like this..