Purely my own opinion, however I believe the price for a lettered Regulators has been around $7,000 for quite a while.
This sale has just confirmed that even copies with possible issues will fetch that amount.
"One day you're going to figure out that everything they taught you was a lie."
Dragline : Nothin'. A handful of nothin'. You stupid mullet head. He beat you with nothin'. Just like today when he kept comin' back at me - with nothin'.
Luke : Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
And just to quell any potential misunderstandings, that Lettered Regulators.....I was headed to bed when a long-time customer called and asked me to proxy bid for them. I agreed to do that for my customer and it turns out they won the auction (but it was MY bid that shows me as the winner). Full disclosure...book NOT for me at all (I own the Lettered Betts Books one and am quite happy!) but book is for a customer.
I know there are some members here who can figure out who won eBay auctions and I got a message already today from one member offering congratulations...but book is not for me.
Just wanted all you to know before rumors spread and people began judging without having ALL the information. Book is not mine. And I am NOT at liberty to say who my customer is.
Dragline : Nothin'. A handful of nothin'. You stupid mullet head. He beat you with nothin'. Just like today when he kept comin' back at me - with nothin'.
Luke : Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
I would be interested to know what that book looks like in person.
Wanted: Human skin edition of The Book of the Dead. Will accept PC copy.
Dragline : Nothin'. A handful of nothin'. You stupid mullet head. He beat you with nothin'. Just like today when he kept comin' back at me - with nothin'.
Luke : Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
Nice condition. Make offer:
Stephen King The Dark Tower The Gunslinger First Printing//Paperback Book
David, I would have to agree with your comments on some of the lettered states rising in price. it just appears at times that with our enthusiasm to sell an item, sometimes it can override the true value of the item.
Anything signed by King in a fine condition is always in demand in the market, be it lettered, limited or 1st edition.
It can only be a good feeling for all concerned looking at their collections and knowing they are on the increase.
Stephen King THE DARKTOWER VI: SONG OF SUSANNAH - SIGNED Limited Edition SCARCE
2 bids so far... at $4.25.
For our UK cohort, this seller has some incredible items but (devastatingly) only ships locally (at this stage. I've messaged him to open it up)...
Salem's Lot, Stephen King Signed First Edition ... Inscribed "Steve King 1975"
The Shining, Stephen King Signed First Edition Inscribed 1979.
Skeleton Crew, Stephen King. Signed First Edition Inscribed 1986.
He also has signed US 1sts of TGWLTG, Dark Half, and 11/22/63.
I agree with Alec on this but also think the $ increase in Lettered books comes down to what someone else is willing to pay because we just don't see enough of them for sale to get a good feel for value. I could be completely wrong on that.
A great example is a Lettered Whispers. What is the value of it? I want to sell my copy but can't locate any information from the past to help come to a conclusion. So again, I think this can affect how a collector thinks when purchasing a lettered edition.
Mulleins
I'm the caretaker of Room 217..............I've always been the caretaker of Room 217
While I agree with Alec and David about the rise in popularity and value of Lettereds, there is one area I have never understood and I'll just throw it out for discussion.
I've been collecting for 30 years and so I know little, but I don't understand why a lettered edition that is identical to numbered, except for the letter, has any additional value?
Obviously, Firestarter, Regulators, Skeleton Crew, even some of the later Lettereds from CD have creative differences, extras, art, DJ's, traycases something to denote additional value.
Why would a lettered Cujo, Christine or the rare Danse Macabre carry any major increase? They are the exact same book with a letter, not a number. I can't justify it in my head and I
have just about everything ever printed by King!
"One day you're going to figure out that everything they taught you was a lie."
I do agree with you. Nonetheless I have recently purchased "Danse Macabre" (Letter 'O'). Why would I want to pay a premium price for the same as the signed limited. The only answer I can give is that although it is the same book, it was signed by King as a lettered. Sounds weak I suppose, however that is the strength and addiction of collecting. Why do people strive to obtain the four different dates that King signed on the limited Firestarter. All the same book, just the fact that he signed them in a different situation and the dates differ.
It gets to the stage that if it is out there it has to be collected.
I am beginning to realise I need help!!
I guess because I was in publishing for many years, I don't see it that way, the press run is 526 for example, whether you put a number or letter doesn't make it any more scarce? To me you
still own 1 of 526. I really love to see something added, artwork, extra story etc....something to make the set of 26 or 52 different, unique and truly scarce.
I do agree we need a Stephen King Collectors Anonymous group, the first step... " hi my name is Kerry and I have over 4000 Stephen King related items" LOL
I'm reading all this and want to quote each post and say, yes exactly! For me, like others have stated, it's less about the fact that the lettered is the same as the numbered and more about the limitation. And of course the completist element. I do agree though that a lettered should be different to a numbered. There should be elements of the production that sets it aside.