Betts Books

[biomieg]

Yes, I'd like to see your overview too!

[disel24]

I'm always up to learning more, the market seems incredibly violent now that I"m back in the game and I'd be interested to learn some more.

[Ari_Racing]

It'd be really interesting to see!

[gsvec]

Count me in, too, David. Sounds very interesting!

[Patrick]

It certainly sounds interesting, David. I would hope that you see higher prices than one finds on eBay given that you/Betts are a known and trusted source as opposed to, in many people's minds, the vagaries of eBay.

[wizardsrainbow]

It certainly sounds interesting, David. I would hope that you see higher prices than one finds on eBay given that you/Betts are a known and trusted source as opposed to, in many people's minds, the vagaries of eBay.

I think that observation Patrick is EXACTLY correct!

I will put together a list.

[east-tennessee]

That would be great to see .

Thanks David.

[Rahfa]

I know when I listed books on Abebooks awhile back I would sometimes sell the same book that I listed on Ebay for MORE money to someone who had seen the Ebay listing but actually bought from the Abe listing.

Seems like some people are much more trusting of a more "official" system, even if it's the same seller, same product...strange...but I'm sure I'm like that in some way I don't even recognize...haha...so Betts SHOULD sell for more money!

[Brice]

It looks like you're already decided, but I'll be interested to see too, David.

[east-tennessee]

Happy 50 1/2 yr. birthday David!!!
You got me by 3 1/2 yrs. my 47th was feb 27th..
I would love to see a new overhaul to the Bett's site, but hey a self-check out would eliminate haggling on price
Yes, I believe there would be a demand for a book finding service, sounds like a good idea..
Keep up the good work!!

[wizardsrainbow]

OK, here is a partial list of some of the prices that have been realized over the last 3 months:

Signed 1st edition “IT”: $800
New Lieutenant’s Rap with envelope: $2500
Night Shift Tall Proof: $4100
1st edition Night Shift F/NF: $850
UK 1st edition 1990 The Stand: $85
1st edition Thinner: $150
UK Insomnia Proof: $150
Signed 1st edition Under the Dome: $225
S/L Dolan’s Cadillac 1/1000: $400; two others more recently at $300
Signed 1st edition Dolores Claiborne: $200
Signed 1st edition Gerald’s Game: $200
Signed 1st edition Viking Waste Lands: $225
1st Grant Wizard & Glass: $125
Lettered Quietly Now: $400
S/L Desperation: $300
S/L The Waste Lands: $450
From a Buick 8 Gift Edition: $90
Grant DT Gift Set: $175
1st edition (2nd state DJ) Salem’s Lot $900
S/L Little Sisters of Eluria: $400
UK S/L Under the Dome: $300
S/L DT III-VII+ S/L LSOE: $2400
Signed 1st edition Insomnia: $250
S/L Black House: $300
S/L Colorado Kid: $325
Lettered Skeleton Crew: $3000
1st edition The Shining: $225
S/L From a Buick 8: $375
S/L Insomnia: $400
Matching number S/L Talisman + S/L Black House: $999
S/L Six Stories in aftermarket slipcase: $650
1st edition Gunslinger F/NF: $800
Signed 1st edition Everything’s Eventual: $250
Signed 1st edition Duma Key: $240
S/L Eyes of the Dragon: $850
1st edition 1978 The Stand: $195
1st edition Carrie F/F: $900
S/L He is Legend: $275
Signed 1st edition Lisey’s Story: $225
Signed 1st edition On Writing: $225
S/L Firestarter: $1125
S/L Green Mile: $1125
Lettered Regulators: $3450
S/L Salem’s Lot: $1100

[gsvec]

Quite interesting, David. Some are much higher than I'd expect and some, unfortunately, lower than I'd hoped. All in all, definitely some food for thought there.

Thanks so much for putting it together for us!

[Sam]

Just wow. Some of these prices are very sobering. For instance, the S/L Insomnia is currently more than what I paid for it ten years ago but just barely, while the S/L Desperation is actually below what I paid for it ten years ago. I use those two examples because both were purchased from Betts.

Just to clarify, these are the prices you're getting and not what you are paying (I don't want to see that list. That's your business.), am I right David?

[Patrick]

Sam, you are correct. Those are David's sales, not purchases.

Interesting list, David. Glad to see you are getting what I consider generally good prices in this lousy economy.

[wizardsrainbow]

Just wow. Some of these prices are very sobering. For instance, the S/L Insomnia is currently more than what I paid for it ten years ago but just barely, while the S/L Desperation is actually below what I paid for it ten years ago. I use those two examples because both were purchased from Betts.

Just to clarify, these are the prices you're getting and not what you are paying (I don't want to see that list. That's your business.), am I right David?

Correct Sam. Prices sold not purchased.

[Brice]

Very cool of you to share that, David.

[Sir_Boomme]

hey dave,

S/L Green Mile: $1125 - was this for the limited gift edition? if so....wow, what an increase from the 150.00 publisher price...
or was it for the lettered version.... if so...wow, what a decrease from the 2500.00 publisher price.


and... 1st edition 1978 The Stand: $195 ? what shape was this one in...
seems a bit low for fine shape edition...
a bit disappointing price regardless... i paid hutch 662.00 for signed/inscribed very fine edition about 10 years ago.

meanwhile... the signed limited salem's lot for 1100.00 is pretty good for so few years...from the 95.00 publisher price.


---------------------------
curious... i know the black roman # salem's lot (15 copies) - a couple sold for 7675.00 and 8500+ the week after it was released. (publisher price was 950.00)

you have one listed at 6000.00 - which is i know has to be disappointing that it hasn't sold yet, since so few come up for sale.
hypothetical question ... I have no intention of selling mine, but I have a low # red lettered copy - since there were only 10 copies of the red numbered ones- and they were not supposedly available to the "public"... if you were pricing it, would you price it higher than a black lettered?

I've personally seen three black roman #'d ones up for sale over the years (including the one you have) - but i have yet to see a red #'d one.

[jhanic]

Terry, the s/l Green Mile originally sold for $950 (148 copies). The gift edition (2000 copies) sold for $150. I don't own a lettered version, so I'm not sure how much it sold for ($2500 seems right) or how many copies. (I'm sure it's on the site somewhere, but I feel a bit lazy today...)

The s/l black-numbered Salem's Lot sold for $450 + $20 for shipping.

John

[Sir_Boomme]

Terry, the s/l Green Mile originally sold for $950 (148 copies). The gift edition (2000 copies) sold for $150. I don't own a lettered version, so I'm not sure how much it sold for ($2500 seems right) or how many copies. (I'm sure it's on the site somewhere, but I feel a bit lazy today...)

The s/l black-numbered Salem's Lot sold for $450 + $20 for shipping.

John

ah... i forgot that there was a greenmile between the lettered and the gift... i bought the lettered and gift...but didn't opt to by the numbered.

the salem's lot i was talking about was not the numbered version.... but the "lettered"...which is actually roman numeraled...25 copies: 15 in black for the public and 10 in red - reserved for artist/author/publisher.

[wizardsrainbow]

hey dave,

S/L Green Mile: $1125 - was this for the limited gift edition? if so....wow, what an increase from the 150.00 publisher price...
or was it for the lettered version.... if so...wow, what a decrease from the 2500.00 publisher price.


and... 1st edition 1978 The Stand: $195 ? what shape was this one in...
seems a bit low for fine shape edition...
a bit disappointing price regardless... i paid hutch 662.00 for signed/inscribed very fine edition about 10 years ago.

meanwhile... the signed limited salem's lot for 1100.00 is pretty good for so few years...from the 95.00 publisher price.


---------------------------
curious... i know the black roman # salem's lot (15 copies) - a couple sold for 7675.00 and 8500+ the week after it was released. (publisher price was 950.00)

you have one listed at 6000.00 - which is i know has to be disappointing that it hasn't sold yet, since so few come up for sale.
hypothetical question ... I have no intention of selling mine, but I have a low # red lettered copy - since there were only 10 copies of the red numbered ones- and they were not supposedly available to the "public"... if you were pricing it, would you price it higher than a black lettered?

I've personally seen three black roman #'d ones up for sale over the years (including the one you have) - but i have yet to see a red #'d one.

Terry-

John's post got the Green Mile and Salem's S/L prices right so thanks John.

As for the Lettered Salem's, if I were pricing yours, I'd give a modest premium to what I priced a Black one, because it was limited to just 10 and because they were not available to the public. At the high prices for these, I wouldn't do a large price differential. My $6k copy will sell, I'm confident of that, perhaps if the consignee agrees to go a smidgen (sp?) lower.

[wizardsrainbow]

Thanks to my wife's networking accumen, the local newspaper published a story on me and Betts Books today. I've posted the link below and attached the two photos that they used in the story (the photos do not appear in the on-line story in the link).

I'm pretty pleased with the exception that they misspelled my wife's last name. It should be Wilke, not Wilkie. Nobody's perfect.

http://www.fairfieldcitizenonline.co...ing-450447.php

[Fsmdr]

It's a really nice article, David. I bet that it will double your incoming emails and bring more interested buyers. Too bad they did not include the Father Callahan illustration or the photo. Thanks for sharing it.

[Ari_Racing]

Really cool article!

[Pasiuk57]

David
GREAT article!!

[Sam]

Dude, very nice article.