How to Find Valuable Books in Thrift Stores, Estate Sales, or Even Your Own Shelves

Of course, rare tomes from famed authors are known to fetch a heady price. But even if you don't have a first edition of Pride and Prejudice, you can still net a tidy sum. Plenty of titles published within the last 40 years or so are surprisingly valuable, says Joshua R. Mann, co-owner of B&B Rare Books in New York City. But do you know what to look for when considering the collectibility of a book?

Ahead, we spoke to Mann about what makes a book collectible and what to look for when shopping secondhand. You may even find something on your shelves that commands a surprising price.

Look for First Editions

First editions are the most collectible—and it's fairly straightforward to find out if you have one in your hands. Open the book to the copyright page, says Mann. For a book to be worth anything significant, you typically have to have a first-edition copy from the original publisher. Generally speaking, for books printed in the last 40-plus years, you'll find this information on the number line, says Mann. "Number lines typically start with the number one and end with the number 10," he explains. "You want the number line to start with the number one—anything other than that probably won't work in terms of value."

Check for an Author's Signature

An exception to the first edition scenario is later printings signed by the author. "That's a game-changer," says Mann. "Even if the book itself isn't valuable, the author's signature is worth something." Take Harry Potter books. Any signed book by J.K. Rowling is worth at least several hundred dollars, he says.

Be On the Lookout for Specific Titles

Specific titles by certain authors can be a small goldmine, so familiarize yourself with less-known titles. For example, you may know the first Harry Potter book by the title, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, since the book has been through hundreds of print runs under this title. But the book's first printing was only a few hundred copies, and bore the title Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Any of those first-run copies with the original title are quite valuable. How much are they worth? About $100,000 says Mann.

Other titles to look for include banned Dr. Seuss books. First editions of the author's earlier works, such as And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, could earn you around $10,000.

Stephen King books might also be worth at least a few hundred or even a few thousand dollars, says Mann. Look for first editions of Carrie or The Shining, and especially any signed limited editions from the 70s and 80s. Likewise, a first edition of A Time to Kill by John Grisham might be worth several thousand dollars because the initial print run was so small.

Respect the Dust Jacket

Sometimes people remove the dust jacket if they love the look of a hardbound book—but beware. If a book was published with a dust jacket, the value of that dust jacket may surprise you, says Mann. "A dust jacket often represents about 90 percent of the value of the book."

If you find a book you think may be valuable, bring it to a local bookseller who can help you develop a valuation. They can also direct you to someone who can help you with a conservation plan if you opt to hang onto it. But in the meantime, keep it out of direct sunlight and away from high-moisture areas to keep the tome in tip-top condition.