Stephen King Proofs

[carlosdetweiller]

Yes. Info from smaller specialty press publishers is usually more accessible to collectors. Still I distrust claims like "only a small handful were done." If it is a small number why not just give the actual number? Statements like that smack of deceit, IMO.

[jhanic]

No real argument there.

John

[jonahwriter]

The Mercedes proof listed as "BRAND NEW but has a crease on the lower 1/4 of the back cover and a few pages, and tiny crease" went for $255 on ebay. I expected it to go for a lot more. The other one - the brand new condition - is sitting at $320 now. Surprised the one in "almost" excellent condition went for only $255. When does value for proofs become known - long after release?

[jhanic]

I think the one that went for $255 was stopped early. I think the seller accepted another offer.

The true value of a proof depends a lot on market conditions--how many there were, how many people want one, etc. New proofs almost always go for a good price for the seller. It's only after a while that the availability becomes more of an educated guess. The Joyland ARC is a good example. That one seems extremely scarce and if one were offered now would go for a higher price.

One other factor is how popular the King story is. If it's one of his more popular novels, it will usually go for a higher price.

John

[jonahwriter]

Ok that all makes sense. Thanks John. And I guess before release the factor is how badly someone wants to read it early as well as the collectible value of it, whereas after release it's more about number of copies produced, collectable value, etc. I don't collect proofs myself - I only ever buy them to read the book early so I wouldn't pay as high as some would. In the past I've bought 1 or 2 proofs to read the book early and then traded or sold them on.

[Pasiuk57]

My copy of the Mr Mercedes US Proof arrived today from a member-our own John Hanic!
Great shape and thanks again John!

[jhanic]

My pleasure for a great guy!

John

[Randall Flagg]

$.99:
Lisey's Story STEPHEN KING Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) 2006 RARE

[sentinel]

My copy of the Mr Mercedes US Proof arrived today from a member-our own John Hanic!
Great shape and thanks again John!

Come on Mike, pay it forward! John has a stash!

[jhanic]

My copy of the Mr Mercedes US Proof arrived today from a member-our own John Hanic!
Great shape and thanks again John!

Come on Mike, pay it forward! John has a stash!

Don't I wish!!

John

[Pasiuk57]

I'm happy to have one copy!

[The Library Policeman]

Congrats, Mike.

[Randall Flagg]

$150, OBO:
Stephen King Four Past Midnight uncorrected advanced proof 1st edition 1990

[Randall Flagg]

One day auction. $.99:
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King galley Mister Mercedes

[Randall Flagg]

One day auction. $.99:
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King galley Mister Mercedes

Wow, bidder e***r really wants it.

[Roseannebarr]

One day auction. $.99:
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King galley Mister Mercedes

Wow, bidder e***r really wants it.

Yep. I am so jealous of everybody already reading it! It was driving me insane. I can't afford it, but I can't wait another month either!

[Randall Flagg]

One day auction. $.99:
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King galley Mister Mercedes

Wow, bidder e***r really wants it.

Yep. I am so jealous of everybody already reading it! It was driving me insane. I can't afford it, but I can't wait another month either!

$309! Wow. Did anyone here get it?

[jonahwriter]

One day auction. $.99:
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King galley Mister Mercedes

Wow, bidder e***r really wants it.

Yep. I am so jealous of everybody already reading it! It was driving me insane. I can't afford it, but I can't wait another month either!

$309! Wow. Did anyone here get it?

Was in the running but, alas, no :/

$300 is too high for me anyway. Wonder if the value of this decreases as time gets closer to official release. There was a perfect condition one that went not too far above $200 but I couldn't bid due to no international shipping

[biomieg]

I'm not sure if the price will drop - my guess is that most of the people who buy proofs (either pre- or post-publication of the trade edition) do so because they are proof collectors. I can't imagine many regular fans paying hundreds of dollars so they can read the book a month before publication.

Proof prices are very volatile anyway because the market is small and the price is greatly affected not only by scarcity, but IMO also by the publisher (Scribner proofs are a lot more desirable than CD ones for example, at least to me), and other factors such as how well-loved the book is (proofs of the 'classics' are expensive). So it's hard to predict what will happen.

[jonahwriter]

I'm not sure if the price will drop - my guess is that most of the people who buy proofs (either pre- or post-publication of the trade edition) do so because they are proof collectors. I can't imagine many regular fans paying hundreds of dollars so they can read the book a month before publication.

Proof prices are very volatile anyway because the market is small and the price is greatly affected not only by scarcity, but IMO also by the publisher (Scribner proofs are a lot more desirable than CD ones for example, at least to me), and other factors such as how well-loved the book is (proofs of the 'classics' are expensive). So it's hard to predict what will happen.

I think you're right - it's probably mainly proof collectors, though I have bought proofs before to read them early. I bought "Dome" just to read it in proof then sold it again on ebay for a little less than what I paid for it. With Mr. Mercedes, it's getting to stage I'll probably just wait for release unless I get a good deal. Just over a month to go now so probably wouldn't pay a lot. I was willing to pay $200-250, but probably it's probably $100 to $150 for me now and once we hit less than a month to release, I'll just give up lol.

[jhanic]

I'm not sure if the price will drop - my guess is that most of the people who buy proofs (either pre- or post-publication of the trade edition) do so because they are proof collectors. I can't imagine many regular fans paying hundreds of dollars so they can read the book a month before publication.

Proof prices are very volatile anyway because the market is small and the price is greatly affected not only by scarcity, but IMO also by the publisher (Scribner proofs are a lot more desirable than CD ones for example, at least to me), and other factors such as how well-loved the book is (proofs of the 'classics' are expensive). So it's hard to predict what will happen.

I agree completely. I have a feeling that the Mr Mercedes proof is a little less scarce than the Scribner Doctor Sleep, though. There seem to be more coming to light before publication than ever showed up for Doctor Sleep.

John

[jonahwriter]

I'm not sure if the price will drop - my guess is that most of the people who buy proofs (either pre- or post-publication of the trade edition) do so because they are proof collectors. I can't imagine many regular fans paying hundreds of dollars so they can read the book a month before publication.

Proof prices are very volatile anyway because the market is small and the price is greatly affected not only by scarcity, but IMO also by the publisher (Scribner proofs are a lot more desirable than CD ones for example, at least to me), and other factors such as how well-loved the book is (proofs of the 'classics' are expensive). So it's hard to predict what will happen.

I agree completely. I have a feeling that the Mr Mercedes proof is a little less scarce than the Scribner Doctor Sleep, though. There seem to be more coming to light before publication than ever showed up for Doctor Sleep.

John

A lot of them do seem to be popping up now. I remember looking for a "Doctor Sleep" proof and not finding one at all - I don't think I looked as often as I have been for "Mr. Mercedes" but still... As for "Dome", that was relatively easy, I remember lots of them popping up. Did many pop up for "11/22/63"?

[jhanic]

Both the US and UK Under the Dome proofs were relatively scarce--the UK ones (200 numbered copies) were harder to find than the US one. The US 11/22/63 proof was relatively scarce to find in collectible condition--it was a thick proof that showed its wear easily. The UK proofs (there were two states, one of about 70 numbered copies and the other about 400 numbered copies) were also fairly scarce, even given that there were 400 copies of the one.

John

[jonahwriter]

Both the US and UK Under the Dome proofs were relatively scarce--the UK ones (200 numbered copies) were harder to find than the US one. The US 11/22/63 proof was relatively scarce to find in collectible condition--it was a thick proof that showed its wear easily. The UK proofs (there were two states, one of about 70 numbered copies and the other about 400 numbered copies) were also fairly scarce, even given that there were 400 copies of the one.

John

Thanks for the info John. Do you remember those Under the Dome hardback "proofs" - pretty much the first edition with an ISBN sticker? were they much more common or included in that number?

[jhanic]

Both the US and UK Under the Dome proofs were relatively scarce--the UK ones (200 numbered copies) were harder to find than the US one. The US 11/22/63 proof was relatively scarce to find in collectible condition--it was a thick proof that showed its wear easily. The UK proofs (there were two states, one of about 70 numbered copies and the other about 400 numbered copies) were also fairly scarce, even given that there were 400 copies of the one.

John

Thanks for the info John. Do you remember those Under the Dome hardback "proofs" - pretty much the first edition with an ISBN sticker? were they much more common or included in that number?

They seemed to be more common than the regular proof before the book was published. I haven't seen any recently. It was issued when the supplies of the "regular" blue proof were depleted. My gut feel is that there were more of the hardcover "proofs" done than the regular one.

John