Can somebody inform me why 1st/1st are wanted?
I’ve a number of 1st/1st hardbacks and paperbacks that I’ve purchased by way of the years. I didn’t sought them out or purchased them as a result of they had been 1st/1st. It simply so occurs {that a} e book would come out from a favourite creator (there are a lot of) and I might see them in a bookstore and purchase them. I didn’t even know that they had been a 1st/1st copy. It was solely later that I seen their printing state.
So why are collectors obsessive about accumulating 1st/1st? It has nothing to do with the story as a result of revisions between printings are corrections in some typo error phrases on the most. And the print run even for a 1st/1st are within the hundred 1000’s so it isn’t like you’ll be have the one surviving copy sooner or later.
Now at any time when I purchase a e book be it new or used, I’ve gotten into the behavior of checking the writer’s web page to see if the print run quantity line begins with #1.
Comments ( 7 )
For some of my favorite books I bought the first edition because it was the only good looking one or the best looking one. For example in English Chaim Potok’s books have mostly only had ugly editions after the first ones
It’s just because they’re the first. It’s a phenomenon in the collectors world. Works the same with baseball cards with serial numbered cards, rookie cards, and other collectibles as well, comics, records, etc. It protects scarcity is a big part of it. There can be other things they also collect such as misprints or particular covers and such, but every book has a first printing so that’s the standard.
Because some people like collecting stuff and the rarity of stuff impacts the value. Having it means you were first and it implies you had foresight to buy the book early, it is a mark of distinction, maybe it implies you are a real fan/collector. But first runs of books for popular authors always have been big so first editions are no better than any other edition.
I think it’s only really relevant (in terms of resell value) when the amount of first editions available is significantly lower than the amount of people interested in them. I don’t think my Harry Potter first editions will ever become valuable because back then, everyone and their mother preordered the books and they printed millions of them.
But for a lot of collectors, the fun of hunting and owning is probably a lot more important than actual resell value.
This is the first time I read the term 1st / 1st. Usually, I only hear people talking about first editions. Out of curiosity, what’s the difference?
I believe the term is Primacy. Basically you want the first edition of something because there will never be another first. So no matter how many times the story repeats or is reprinting there is only 1 first.
Kind of like getting a rookie card for a baseball player, I’d you collect firsts that are from lesser known writers you could have something that was not known would be rare and valuable till later.
And not all collectors want 1st/1st. That part is a bit of conspicuous consumption, like you buy it because it’s valuable to people around you.
I collect anything that’s signed, some 1st/1st, and special editions, Because they are all special in some way. Some people just build a library of their favorites from a used book store. Whatever floats your boat.
Sometimes first editions of books are sought after are because they’re the only ones available. Lungbarrow is ridiculously sought after with prices frequently reaching hundreds of pounds, sometimes even just below £100 for a later reproduction. The Book of the War is similarly cursed with the addition of being much rarer.