What about complete sets of novels?

October 9, 2023 9:28 AM

My mom was a lifelong reader. I have inherited from her complete sets of novels by Steinbeck, Hitchcock, Agatha Christie, Sue Grafton (i.e., "A-Y"), Ira Levin, Ray Bradbury and several other authors. I know I can (and have) donated lots of books to the VA and the local library. And I've sold a bunch more in bulk to a local bookstore. And some others I will keep. But I was wondering if a complete set is at all valuable to collectors, or can they just get the all from the Internet?
posted by CollectiveMind to Writing & Language (4 answers total)

Are they "sets" in that they're all the same publisher and cover style? Are they first editions? Are they all the same in terms of hardcover/paperback? If they're just complete in that all the books are there, but there's no unifying or rare element, then no, they're probably not worth much if anything more than they would be split up. The older works might contain some rarer or out-of-print books that have more value, and first editions are often worth more, but if it's all stuff that's in print, not early editions, and especially (for, like, the Sue Grafton) copies that you can order at the bookstore right now, then no.
posted by restless_nomad at 9:33 AM on October 9, 2023 [5 favorites]

Collecting Christie has posts about auctions that can give you an idea of what the market looks like for Agatha Christie.
posted by betweenthebars at 11:51 AM on October 9, 2023

I do eBay searches to answer any question wondering if something "is at all valuable to collectors." And AbeBooks, for books specifically. Sets of books, well that would send me back to eBay.
posted by Rash at 12:12 PM on October 9, 2023

Complete sets of books that aren't worth much on their own may be easier to sell on eBay than the individual ones, and may bring a decent amount more. Common books such as Sue Grafton mysteries are all over eBay at very low prices, but if someone were looking for the complete set they would have to waste a lot of time and pay a lot of extra shipping piecing together a set. You can probably get a decent amount of money for a set, though not life-changing money obviously. Media mail shipping is nice and cheap on this stuff, which helps.
posted by Slinga at 12:27 PM on October 9, 2023