Betts Books

[olverts]

I'm with you Michael , it's not extremely scarce !!!

[biomieg]

David just posted a nice new NIGHT SHIFT package on the Betts Books website.

[sgc1999]

The US proof of IT looks great!

It's a very nice package deal with the case and artwork but I still don't think that the Viking IT proof is 'extremely scarce' (this was discussed a while ago).

It was discussed a while ago and only 4 copies were confirmed here. that's pretty scarce if at least 20 members here cant show they have one?
IMO

[jhanic]

The Viking proof is not that scarce. The really scarce one is the Cemetery Dance 25th Anniversary proof, of which fewer than 12 copies were done. The Hodder It proof is also fairly scarce.

Viking proof:



CD proof:



UK proof:



John

[Pasiuk57]

John
totally true....

[olverts]

I would think that most proof collectors has a copy of the Viking IT proof .

But during all years i have been searching for proofs i have only found one single copy of the UK Proof

[barlow]

The Viking proof is not that scarce. The really scarce one is the Cemetery Dance 25th Anniversary proof, of which fewer than 12 copies were done. The Hodder It proof is also fairly scarce.

Viking proof:



CD proof:



UK proof:



John

Hey John I've heard around 200 for the Viking proof. Obviously there is no way of knowing how many are still around, especially ones that were never read! Do you have a guess on the number for the UK proof?

[Pasiuk57]

I know the UK IT proof is rare
I have one in nice shape but you don'y see it often for sale.

[sgc1999]

Its funny that people keep saying that its not scarce but only 3 people have come forth saying they own a fine copy of the US Viking proof of IT. I bought mine from a Hutch and on his website he stated he believed there was about 10 made. Im not saying there was only 10 made but I still don't see anyone putting there money were there mouth is. John has 1, Bob has 2, I believe Michael has one. so where are all these copies if its not scarce? I count 4.......
How many members here??? how many fine IT proofs US Viking???
Opinions don't prove a thing. lets have some proof guys.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

My Viking IT proof is in VF condition. I'd call it MINT but I know that is supposedly an impossible state. I wish I had the UK and the CD proofs. I passed on the CD proof some time ago and now wish I hadn't. These things always seem to be offered to me when I don't have much money laying around. But once in a while I get lucky and pick one up.

[olverts]

I sold my IT proof a year ago .

I've seen atleast 10 copies for sale the past 3 years

[barlow]

Its funny that people keep saying that its not scarce but only 3 people have come forth saying they own a fine copy of the US Viking proof of IT. I bought mine from a Hutch and on his website he stated he believed there was about 10 made. Im not saying there was only 10 made but I still don't see anyone putting there money were there mouth is. John has 1, Bob has 2, I believe Michael has one. so where are all these copies if its not scarce? I count 4.......
How many members here??? how many fine IT proofs US Viking???
Opinions don't prove a thing. lets have some proof guys.

Don't get me wrong, think fine copies are fairly scarce. I figure if there were 200 to start with and they were sent to reviewers and book stores and read as intended maybe half ended up trashed. Of the remaining 100, 50 might be in decent shape and 20 to 25 in really nice shape. I have seen 6 or so copies in the state of Florida over the last 20 years. I just don't think they were the same copy.


Ken

[sentinel]

I've got a fine copy.

[Sir_Boomme]

Its funny that people keep saying that its not scarce but only 3 people have come forth saying they own a fine copy of the US Viking proof of IT. I bought mine from a Hutch and on his website he stated he believed there was about 10 made. Im not saying there was only 10 made but I still don't see anyone putting there money were there mouth is. John has 1, Bob has 2, I believe Michael has one. so where are all these copies if its not scarce? I count 4.......
How many members here??? how many fine IT proofs US Viking???
Opinions don't prove a thing. lets have some proof guys.

if I'm not one of your 4... then it needs to be 5 - and it's in as new/unread condition

[Merlin1958]

Its funny that people keep saying that its not scarce but only 3 people have come forth saying they own a fine copy of the US Viking proof of IT. I bought mine from a Hutch and on his website he stated he believed there was about 10 made. Im not saying there was only 10 made but I still don't see anyone putting there money were there mouth is. John has 1, Bob has 2, I believe Michael has one. so where are all these copies if its not scarce? I count 4.......
How many members here??? how many fine IT proofs US Viking???
Opinions don't prove a thing. lets have some proof guys.

if I'm not one of your 4... then it needs to be 5 - and it's in as new/unread condition

Huh, I thought your dog ate it!! LOL

[Sir_Boomme]

Its funny that people keep saying that its not scarce but only 3 people have come forth saying they own a fine copy of the US Viking proof of IT. I bought mine from a Hutch and on his website he stated he believed there was about 10 made. Im not saying there was only 10 made but I still don't see anyone putting there money were there mouth is. John has 1, Bob has 2, I believe Michael has one. so where are all these copies if its not scarce? I count 4.......
How many members here??? how many fine IT proofs US Viking???
Opinions don't prove a thing. lets have some proof guys.

if I'm not one of your 4... then it needs to be 5 - and it's in as new/unread condition

Huh, I thought your dog ate it!! LOL

no, crazy dog only eats peanut butter, crooks and small children.... he respects literature.

[biomieg]

I have a lot of respect for Hutch. But that doesn't mean there can only be 10 copies of the Viking proof because he thought so years ago. I have a copy of the spreadsheet with Chris Cavalier's collection from when it was listed for sale and it mentions that there were only six copies done of Twice the Power. Well, we know for a fact that there are at least four or five times as many of them out there.

I see that most proof collectors here have at least one Viking copy. And most of us (contributors to this discussion) have seen several copies for sale over the years. So yeah, there are more than 10 copies.

But even if there were only ten, the established market value is still what it is: $250-350.

Simon, please don't take this personally discussing collectible King is what we do here and this is no different!

[sgc1999]

no worries. I understand
I will have to respectfully disagree though. I sold my twice the power (I believe around 50 were presumed to exist) for $450 and im sure the IT proof is more scarce. Last year 4 out of the It proof books for sale were all the same one, Mine It sold back and forth twice and there was only 1 other trashed copy for sale in the last 3 years. I watch every day for one to come up. I'm not saying one couldn't have slipped by but I doubt it. And even at last count we are only at a round 10 copies here. Hardly a common book. I think eventually it will be more obvious to some here as time goes by that surviving copies of this proof are pretty scarce.
IMO

[George at C-Springs]

I've got one, though can't call it Fine due to cover creasing and some page dings ... I was just happy to get one at the price I did, had been looking for a long time. This was ... a year ago now maybe?

[biomieg]

With a few exceptions ALL proofs are scarce if you only look at the number of known copies. That's the nature of proofs, you can't compare them to any other book format in terms of numbers. So, sure, I don't expect dozens of the Viking IT proof to float around, but that's not really the point (IMO).

What we're saying is that the Viking IT proof is relatively easy to find compared to a lot of other proofs. There are not that many dedicated proof collectors but I'm fairly sure that most of them own a copy of the Viking IT proof, just like they probably own Viking proof copies of The Talisman, Eyes of the Dragon, and Misery. I will not call a proof 'extremely scarce' unless only a few hardcore collectors own a copy. I guess that's the point I was trying to make (and the others who chimed in as well, I think).

(perhaps this discussion should be moved to the Proofs thread or the Collecting Questions thread...)

[divemaster]

To get things back on track...

I recently made what is (for me) a major purchase from David at Betts!

Details later...

[sgc1999]

With a few exceptions ALL proofs are scarce if you only look at the number of known copies. That's the nature of proofs, you can't compare them to any other book format in terms of numbers. So, sure, I don't expect dozens of the Viking IT proof to float around, but that's not really the point (IMO).

What we're saying is that the Viking IT proof is relatively easy to find compared to a lot of other proofs. There are not that many dedicated proof collectors but I'm fairly sure that most of them own a copy of the Viking IT proof, just like they probably own Viking proof copies of The Talisman, Eyes of the Dragon, and Misery. I will not call a proof 'extremely scarce' unless only a few hardcore collectors own a copy. I guess that's the point I was trying to make (and the others who chimed in as well, I think).

(perhaps this discussion should be moved to the Proofs thread or the Collecting Questions thread...)

Ya, I hear ya.
Your probably right on the thread thing too.
forgot where we were, LOL

[biomieg]

Let's talk Betts again! I'm actually hoping that David does not list anything remotely interesting for the next year or so... I didn't even order most of the limiteds that are coming out this year but I spent a LOT on my wedding and I did buy a book or two (make that ten or more) the past couple of months. I'm really pushing my book budget so David, if you're reading this.... do not post any proofs or scarce magazines in 2013, okay?

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

I'm in the oposite camp. I WANT David to list lots of goodies. I can't remember the last time there was something listed that I wanted.

[biomieg]

(I am, however, glad that Betts is doing well!)