Book Expert Names ’20 Most Valuable Books in the World’

And how to spot them on your bookshelf!

Matthew Haley, director of books and manuscripts at Bonhams auction house is sharing his advice on old books, listing the twenty most valuable books of all time, and how you can spot them on the bookshelf!

While you might have a copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, or The Hobbit lurking on the shelf, do you know how to tell if it’s valuable? These two are the top two most valuable books and could have a guide price of £50,000, but only if they are the correct copy and in pristine condition.

Haley says condition is paramount and so it’s worth looking after any first editions you have now, as they may increase in value in the future. Spine damage is the biggest threat to future value, and missing pages are a big no no.

According to Matthew Haley here are the twenty most valuable books most likely to be on your bookshelf, and how to spot if they are the correct copy.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – J. K Rowling (1997)

Guide Price £50,000

You’re looking for a hardback copy of this children’s book and it must have the 10 to 1 printed down the back of the title page to be valuable.

The Hobbit – J. R. R Tolkien (1937)

Guide Price £40,000

The first edition of the dust jacket of The Hobbit has a typo corrected by hand on the back, and in perfect condition could earn you a small fortune.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit – Beatrix Potter (1901)

Guide Price £35,000

This one is tricky, if you have an old copy it could be very difficult to tell if it’s a first edition as it’s been printed in the same format for so many years.

A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens (1843)

Guide Price £15,000

A best condition copy of Dickens festive favourite would bring in enough cash to easily fill a Christmas stocking!

The four Winnie the Pooh Books – A. A Milne (1924-1928)

Guide Price £4,000-£10,000

A partial or complete set of this children’s classic could easily put some serious cash in the bank!

Eleven Poems – Seamus Heaney (1965)

Guide Price £3,500

This collection is nothing but a slim pamphlet, first published in Belfast. It might not look much on the shelf, but in the bank it’ll make quite the impact.

Foundation Trilogy – Isaac Asimov (1951-1953)

Guide Price £3,000+

If you have all three volumes in good condition, this Asimov trilogy could be worth quite the fortune.

Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens – J. M Barrie (1906)

Guide Price £2,500

A fine copy of this limited edition classic illustrated by Arthur Rackham could be worth a small fortune.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles – Agatha Christie (1921)

Guide Price £2,000

If you know someone who collected Christie novels as she wrote them, they may have a valuable collection.

Verve – 1950s Art Magazine

Guide Price £1,500

It’s not just books either, some editions of Verve magazine, especially those with original lithographs by Matisse and others are worth quite a pretty penny.

Television: Seeing by Wire or Wireless – Alfred Dinsdale (1926)

Guide Price £1,000

This was the first English book on television and many copies were destroyed as the technology advanced. If you still have your copy, it may be time to cash in.

The Cat in the Hat – Dr Seuss (1957)

Guide Price £1,000

This magical children’s book is on the shelves of many, but if you have an early copy without the word ‘beginner books’ on the dust jacket it may be worth some cash.

High Street – Eric Ravilious and J.M Richards (1938)

Guide Price £1,000

I personally have never heard of this one, but if you have the first edition then it may be worth a stack of cash.

A Clockwork Orange – Anthony Burgess (1962)

Guide Price £900

Many will have this famous dystopian novel on the bookshelf, but a first edition could be very valuable indeed.

Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack (1916)

Guide Price £600-£800

This particular issue saw a reduced wartime print-run and an obituary for W.G Grace but there aren’t thought to be many copies in existence.

The Ladies’ Flower Garden – Jane W. Loudon (1840s)

Guide Price £500-£800

Any existing copies of this from the 1840s could be with a few pound for a flower garden of your own.

The Hound of the Baskervilles – Arthur Conan Doyle (1902)

Guide Price £500+

Fans of the great detective might want to investigate the bookshelves for an early copy of this!

The Bible (1600-1630)

Guide Price £300

Many of us will have a Bible lying around, but one printed during the above dates could be worth some cash, even with sections missing!

The Jungle Book (1894) – Rudyard Kipling

Guide Price £200 – £4,000

A first edition of this could be worth some cash, but if you were also to have The Second Jungle Book, it’s a serious kerching!

A History of British Birds – F. O. Morris

Guide Price £150

This one doesn’t even have to be a first edition, if you have all six volumes from any earlier edition, get them appraised!