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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Lit A New Dawn, Tarkin — Aftermarket Prices

Discussion in 'Literature' started by nom_anor_no_more, May 11, 2017.

  1. nom_anor_no_more

    nom_anor_no_more Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Feb 17, 2007
    Hello all!

    I am a longtime SW book collector, with nearly all releases from Bantam and Del Rey, and those nearly all in hardcover. I've recently learned that both Star Wars: A New Dawn, as well as Star Wars: Tarkin command fairly hefty prices on the secondary market—both around $300.00, give or take (one crazy listing for Tarkin was $666.00 on abebooks.com!)

    What I don't understand is why. I have not seen pricing like this for any other Star Wars hardcover. I understand they are out of print, but still! Do you folks have though or insights on this?
     
  2. The Positive Fan

    The Positive Fan Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 19, 2015
    This thread recently discussed that very issue, and includes some comments from a Del Rey rep.
     
  3. nom_anor_no_more

    nom_anor_no_more Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Feb 17, 2007
    Thank you! I'll head there.
     
  4. UnshavenWookie14

    UnshavenWookie14 Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 20, 2017
    I keep an eye out for these (specifically Tarkin) on eBay Incase a cheap one pops up.

    A Tarkin HC first edition in read-once quality just sold for 120 bucks. It started at 25$ and was on the market for 6 days. In the last 3-4 min of bidding the price went from 80$-120$.

    So for those looking, prices aren’t quite as inflated as the $400 listings you find on your first search. But there are a decent number of people who have their eye out for a good copy.

    Paying over 100 bucks for several HC is the only reason I have paperback (which I hate). All a collector can do is look and hope.

    PS - if you don’t mind, old tattered library editions can also be found for around 60-80$




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  5. Yunzabit

    Yunzabit Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 5, 2015
    Awww. I donated my Tarkin to the library.
     
  6. UnshavenWookie14

    UnshavenWookie14 Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 20, 2017
    Oh man. Quality guy right here. That copy will probably end up back on the internet in a few years with library markings and no dust sleeve.. and still go for 60$. Its almost worth buying hardbacks bc of their price spike after prints are sold out. Lords of the Sith, A New Dawn, and Heir to the Jedi also are all seeing spikes do to being sold out in stores. Amazon has them listings for each starting at $46.54, $63.54, and $54.36. Given these are prime condition, not sure what used are going for in auction format. But for books that can be purchased at initial release for $16.99-$24.99, thats pretty good. Add in a signature or two from Authors if you just watch for book signings close to you over the next couple years... there's absolutely room for these to reward collectors down the line.
     
  7. SheaHublin

    SheaHublin Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2008
    I actually sold my hardback of Tarkin for over a hundred after shipping and fees a while back. It was in good shape, only read once. My price was actually higher than other listings, but I did include good pictures that others didn't have in their listings. The collector who bought it said he really appreciated the effort.

    It would not surprise me if a lot of the Disney collectors are buying up Star Wars hardcovers and other tougher to find books. They might not care for older stuff, but post-2014 stuff would attract at least a few of them. That alone will raise prices.

    And yeah, somebody could easily do some speculating by buying up a few copies of a hardback and selling them once the prices spike a bit.
     
  8. UnshavenWookie14

    UnshavenWookie14 Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 20, 2017
    THIS.

    I have an alert for anytime there’s a new tarkin posting. Most people just use the generic image of the cover, rather than actual pictures of the copy they’re selling. I don’t even consider these Bc if I’m going to buy one from r my collection at $100 dollars, I’m not going to take chances that it’s beat to heck. Or some people just swipe them from libraries bc the cost of a lost book is no where as close as the selling price online. Which is horrible.

    But yeah, pictures go a long way. Listings with pictures consistently go for $100+ so the markets there. The auction I watched tonight had like 7 active bidders and another 40-50 that had ‘watch’ updates on it.


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  9. SheaHublin

    SheaHublin Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2008
    It's for things like this that I sometimes wish that there was a sort of Marketplace or similar such section on the Forums here, where we could sell and trade amongst ourselves. If nothing else, it would have saved me some fees. Rebelscum seems to be the only such place.

    Anyway, yeah, there sure seems to be an active speculator's market on a few of the newer hardbacks. The one copy I did list I had bought mostly because it was Luceno, not because I really want anything to do with the newer stuff. It was okay, but nothing the paperback doesn't do for me. So the copy I sold had only been lightly read once and then shelved. The listing did not last long before somebody pulled the trigger and bough it, only about half a day, but even in that time I got a few messages with lowball offers. One of them was from an obvious flipper.
     
  10. UnshavenWookie14

    UnshavenWookie14 Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 20, 2017
    Yeah there’s no real reason for me to want the hard back. The paperback is fine. It’s just me being an OCD collector with anything I sink time into. I’ve always taken joy with finishing a great book (and stuff like video games or whatever) and adding it to my completed shelf. Especially with a series. Like I have all HP and GOT hardbacks, most in first edition first print bc after I discovered them I got them at midnight release.


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  11. lordpixie

    lordpixie Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Aug 30, 2015
    Are some of the books not cheaper overseas like UK and AUS and is their much if any differences between them i know in the UK where im from they are printed by cornerstone.
     
  12. SheaHublin

    SheaHublin Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2008
    Any price savings are likely to be negated by shipping costs and/or currency differences.

    Don't take that as an absolute, though- it sometimes can be more affordable to buy something overseas and have it shipped to wherever you are than to buy from a closer source.
     
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2018
  13. SilentGuy66

    SilentGuy66 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 1, 2014
    I gave away my hardcover of Lords Of The Sith- you telling me I threwaway a major investement!? :_|
     
  14. UnshavenWookie14

    UnshavenWookie14 Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 20, 2017
    I also think the US version is considered the most valuable long term. It’s one of the things people make sure to put in the description. ‘Tarkin, first edition, first print. US edition hardcover’. I’m not positive on that though.

    If that is the case then the over seas are simular to the exlibrary books in that if you just want it for yourself then ok. But if it’s a difference of 30 dollars it’s better to put that into an item that has the most potential sale value down the road.

    Not sure if it has something to do with the country of origin. But pretty sure Europe has a different publisher than the US, right? Arrow maybe? Can’t remember. But if so, from a collector who just wants it on his shelf that’s almost a different book. Weird to thin, I know. But as someone who mildly collects, sometimes our OCD just gets the better of us


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  15. Sith Iratus

    Sith Iratus Jedi Master

    Registered:
    Nov 24, 2012
    Tarkin on UK Amazon is £798 at the highest and £167 at the lowest.:eek:
    A new dawn is £1,104 highest and £585 at lowest,sweet lord i best get a big safe to put my copies in.
     
  16. starfish

    starfish Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 9, 2003
    well, at least now you know, do you still have Tarkin or A New Dawn?
     
  17. UnshavenWookie14

    UnshavenWookie14 Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 20, 2017
    Our resident Del Rey guru, DarInternous, suggested in another thread to check used book stores bc they pop up there a lot. I had the morning. Off so I decided to stop by and see if maybe I could find a gem. I went to five used bookstores and found a total of 4 Star Wars Hardbacks. Non from the new canon. 1 was Force unleaded, 1 was phantom menace, and 2 AOTC. One of the store owners said he thinks it has to do with the books basically creating a new intersection for both Star Wars and Disney collectors. So now you have two of the biggest groups of collectors in the market, all scramble by once the print runs out on a book, and driving the price up. Thought that was interesting.

    Ps- not saying Internous gave bad advice. Just pointing out that these aren’t just lying around in hardbacks now. In any of the titles for that matter


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    Last edited: Feb 6, 2018
  18. LAJ_FETT

    LAJ_FETT Tech Admin (2007-2023) - She Held Us Together star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    May 25, 2002
    I've got both A New Dawn and Tarkin in HC. UK editions though.
     
  19. Taalcon

    Taalcon Chosen One star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 12, 1998
    I'm kind of annoyed I dropped my New Dawn, Tarkin, AND Lords of the Sith HC off at Goodwill a year or so ago as part of a Bookshelf Purge. :(
     
  20. LAJ_FETT

    LAJ_FETT Tech Admin (2007-2023) - She Held Us Together star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    May 25, 2002
    I don't think I've ever gotten rid of SW books in a book purge.
     
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  21. SilentGuy66

    SilentGuy66 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 1, 2014
    The only star wars books I've ever sold/given away are;

    -Lords Of The Sith (replaced it with a paperback)
    -Shatterpoint (too depressing)
    -Republic Commando: Imperial Commando (How could they make such an interesting concept so boring)
    -Clone Wars: Gambit/Siege (AKA Star Wars: Everybody has anger issues while nothing happens)

    The rest of my collection I shall defend with my life- Especially A New Dawn, Tarkin and The Darth Bane Trilogy
     
  22. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    The only practical difference tends to be the company name on the book, that's it - Del Rey for US, Century for UK.

    But, even allowing for that, it is a pretty freaky result and hasn't yet been replicated either.

    That said, I seriously doubt anyone will pay the mick take price of £300!
     
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  23. Ulicus

    Ulicus Lapsed Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 24, 2005
    *looks at the hardcovers of both A New Dawn and Tarkin sitting on his shelf*

    [face_money_eyes]
     
  24. lordpixie

    lordpixie Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Aug 30, 2015
    Oh sorry its century got it mixed up
     
  25. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    I wouldn't worry, lots of corporate ids out there and they keep changing.