Signed books found in the wild (library, book stores, yard sales) Post your stories and experiences
JMS1223
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Since I work at a library and I shelve books I am amazed sometimes at the number of signed books that make it into our circulating collection. Most are not valuable or rare (as of yet) but it makes me wonder if I ever do come across something valuable. Some autographs are so valuable that just the signature removed from the book would be worth money so even though the book is pretty much “ruined” by library stamps and stickers, the signature would still be worthwhile to obtain.
The other day someone donated a perfectly clean Lee Child book (his latest one) and it was autographed! In this case if I had wanted it bad enough I probably could have bought it since it was not yet cataloged or part of our collection. Despite that, it seemed like it might have been a little difficult due to the way we process donations - I can’t just buy what I want — it has to be processed by the Friends (our volunteers) and decided if it goes in our collection, get sold in bookstore or donated to a shelter/charity. Only after it’s decided to get sold in the bookstore do I have the opportunity to buy it. Since it was Lee Child’s autograph I wasn’t that keen on trying to get it but if it was someone else I wanted much more I might have been able to talk to the Friends and ask if they could set it aside — not sure. I passed on it mostly because I don’t collect author signatures very much outside of the historic and classic writers (such as Harper Lee, JD Salinger or Stephen King for example) and didn’t want to go through the hassle especially if a better one shows up in the future and I will need the favor of getting it “set aside” much more.
Yesterday while I was shelving I happened to notice this numbered signed edition of a book. Nothing valuable (just looked it up out of curiosity) but WHAT IF it was one of those very rare numbered and signed Stephen King books (one such example was his recent book Later that got a limited hardcover signed and numbered edition that goes for over $1000). It would seem so sad if they stickered and stamped that book especially when having the whole book matters.
Another example is a signed Gloria Steinem book. The signature alone is probably more valuable in my opinion than the ex-library book itself. Nice clean non-personalized signature. I am hoping they discard this book someday and I can buy it for $2 at our bookstore. (There are 3 copies of this book My Life On The Road in our collection and they rarely get checked out so they may discard two of the three next time they weed out the biography collection). The book is pretty much worthless by itself (in ex-library condition) so I would be buying it for the signature alone.
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I volunteer in a thrift store shelving donated books and occasionally come across signed books. When I do, I take them back to the pricing guys and point out they've been signed so they can re-price them higher. My first find over 7 years ago was a signed copy of a book by tennis star Serena Williams. My most recent find happened due to the death of Gen. Colin Powell and not long afterward one of his books was donated to us. I don't know why I opened the book up, but there was his signature.
Do you get to buy them for yourself if you want them? That Colin Powell one would had been a good one to have.
My second story is my favorite because it involves a sentimental oldie. I found a signed book in the wild for the princely sum of 25 cents back in 1997 in a thrift store, of my favorite book when I was a little kid - Sheila Burnford's "The Incredible Journey". I still have it.
No, I didn't. But I'm sure the guys would let me have first dibs on one if I wanted.
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Can’t beat that deal! Awesome find too.
This is a very interesting topic.
I know someone who works in a huge used bookstore. Some of their inventory comes from those big steel boxes you see at the edges of store parking lots. (A lot of those aren't actually for charities).
She has dozens of autographed books that she has found singing the stock. No huge names so far.
It is amazing what can make its way to used book stores or libraries.
In some cases I'll bet it's estates getting cleaned out where the heirs have no idea. In others it is people who got a signed book as a gift or bought it at a book signing, read it, and then passed it along.
You are in a very interesting position. You can try to fly.inder the radar and try to pick up books as they are culled out of the stacks, or you can actively promote the scrutiny of all donations so special books can be pulled and offered for sale (or to you) before they get the library stamp treatment.
There are advantages to each approach.
I bought a book for my father with the intent that he wanted to read it. When I got it I was surprised it was autographed. It was a David Baldacci book. Signed tipped in page. After he read it I made sure we kept it since it was signed. Ordinary he would had donated it if I didn’t point out it was autographed - even with a sticker on the cover stated “signed.”
I don’t get to see all the donations as they come in so I definitely miss some books I could “save” from the stickering/stamping destruction. Fortunately nothing valuable has shown up yet - just a few semi-famous authors but all modern/new.
Just a a little update on the donated Lee Child book: It was called Better Off Dead. Also signed by co-author. Just looked it up on eBay. Looks like it’s worth about $30. I didn’t see it on display today when I peeked in the library bookstore but it could simply be that it was not processed yet or it sold already at their amazing price of $3 each for new hardcovers. Maybe I should had asked the lady in the bookstore about it but didn’t feel up to it at that moment - I can ask on Monday. They may very well still have it and put it out. It was exactly a week ago I saw it get donated. Will let you know if I find out more.
This is some of my collection.. picked up over the last 9 yrs or so from 2nd hand shops . some are single signed and a few are multi-signed, the most expensive was John Glenn at $8 . Have Politicians , Musicians , Sports , Astronauts , Prisoners, War Survivors , Pow's , Scientists.
Frank Mahovlich x 3
Lincoln Alexander x3
Hurricane Carter
Don Cherry x 3
Ron Maclean
Dirk Hayhurst
Heroes in our midst - 38 autographs x 2
Ken Dryden x 2
Paul Henderson x 3
Wren Blair
Brian Mulroney x 3
Johnny Bower x 2
Frank Sinatra
Ed Shack x 3
Gordie Howe x 4
Jean Chretien
George Bush
Mike Mullane
Roberta Bondar
Jean Beliveau x2
Frank Cosentino x 2
Dennis Hull
Ernie Whitt
Bobby Baun x 2
Dave Dravecky
Chris Chelios
Fergie Jenkins
Scott Morrison
Brian Burke
John Glenn
Gerald Ford
Darryl Sittler
Davis Suzuki x 2
Justin Trudeau
Kurt Browning
Team Canada 2012
Robert Coon ( alcatraz Inmate ) x 2
Thanh Campbell ( Orphan 32 )
Hideko Snyder ( Hiroshima Survivor )
Chris Hadfield x 4
John Taylor - Duran Duran
Marcel Dionne x 2
Terry Martin
Dick Redmond
Pat Willams - Orlando Magic VP
baseball old timers game booklet/book - 57 autographs
Jim Quillen - Alcatraz inmate
thats some of what I have in my collection .
Outstanding!
Mystery book lovers might like this obscure one I found in a used book shop for $3.
Heres one that found interesting for my collection .. Hiroshima Survivor signed
I want to start searching my local bookstores/thrift stores for signed books. In thrift stores, do you often find that they usually have their own respective “signed book” section/area? Was that Goodwell Bookstore unusual in that it had a separate signed books section? I know around here we only have the regular Goodwell that sells various items, not just books. Are Goodwell Bookstores common at all?
Do independent used bookstores usually know that their book(s) are signed if they have them, or do they usually have them mixed in with their other unsigned books? We have a few I can check out and I was wondering if I should ask if they have a signed book section upon walking in, or if I should just start checking books to see if they are signed?
Ours doesnt have a section for signed books.. i just take my time and go through the sports and biographies books sections . sometimes its hit or miss on visits.
I'm thinking that most places of the kind you are talking about do not have a place for signed books. And that can work to your advantage. I'll bet you can easily work up a mental list of possible authors who are worth checking out.
I am thinking I will hopefully find ones like Jimmy Carter, Rosalynn Carter, Gerald Ford, maybe Nancy Reagan, Hillary Clinton, George Bush Sr. and/or Richard Nixon (but that might be pushing it). Another one I always forget about that is probably somewhat obtainable would be Lady Bird Johnson.
Long shots would be Michelle Obama, George W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan. And any Presidents prior to Nixon probably wouldn’t be around but you never know because I have heard someone find a signed old copy of Profiles in Courage signed and inscribed by John F. Kennedy.
And ones I already have but if I saw them I would get them include Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. I think I am set with Betty Ford and Barbara Bush but it would depend on what else I found.
And outside of Presidents/First Ladies I would just look inside any autobiographies of people I admire or would like to have their autograph (Stephen King, Rosa Parks or Buzz Aldrin for example).
I have Gerald Ford signed biography and just picked up 2 more books today .. Jean Beliveau and Angelo Mosca
I am thinking of finally hitting the used bookstores and thrift stores soon now that COVID cases are way down and I feel much more comfortable going out.
These two signatures were found in books at a used bookstore in Sarasota, Florida while on vacation last year.
Together they cost me $19. Not too bad. However, I have recently decided to change my collecting focus a little and only collect SOME First Ladies rather than all. As a result, I am going to try and sell or trade these two I picked up. Didn’t pay a lot so hopefully I can make a few bucks. I am debating if I should send them in to get encapsulated in hopes they might bring more money that way. It would cost me a bit ($30 each plus shipping and insurance both ways) to do that but sometimes it makes autographs, especially signatures, sell better. I would also be sending in my extra Bruce Springsteen signature to be encapsulated if I am going to go that route.
Next time I go to the bookstore and find something I will have to decide if I want it for my collection, resell or not buy it at all as a lot of times some autographed books are low value and common and not really a “deal.”
I am kind of kicking myself now for not buying Michelle Obama’s “Becoming” Deluxe signed edition as it seems to be the only way to get a pretty much guaranteed authentic autograph of her. They were only $150 originally and unfortunately they are now selling/asking $250 and up for them online. There is this other regular edition of Becoming that is signed but I am scared to buy it due to not knowing the story behind how they were originally signed, and how they could potentially be autopen, like so many of those regular looking A Promised Land copies are (sadly one recently sold for $400 on eBay, which had Barack Obama’s new autopen on the title page).
I'm a bit late replying to this post. I had to handle the disposal of my mother's books when she passed away four years ago. I offered some of what I thought would be the best to a local used book store but got no offer at all. This included some with autographs, including one by a well known TV star from the 1970's. He couldn't have cared less.
I ended up donating all of the hardcover and better softcover books to two different library friends groups. The cheap paperbacks were just tossed in the recycle bin.
I probably should have kept the book with the TV star autograph (absolutely genuine/signed in person) but the amount of work in disposing of the "stuff" from the estate was proving to be overwhelming. It wasn't just books that had little or no value. Wait until you have to dispose of furniture and you will see what I mean.
I found a couple signed books in the circulating collection at the library where I work so I spoke with my supervisor to let him know I collect autographs and that if these books were to ever get discarded that I was interested in them. My supervisor let the higher ups know so hopefully those books won’t get sold in the bookstore before I have a chance to see them there (which is what happened a few months ago).
On another note, I know some of you feel it is wrong to remove signatures from books but I feel if it’s an old library book it should be alright to do so since book is in used/worn condition with stamps/stickers. Also the signed books I found are probably $10 autographs at most so I figure not much harm there.
I understand if a book is vintage and historical it should be left alone and generally I agree. However I am in a situation right now where there is an autograph I want but it is very rare to find outside of her signed book in authentic form. I am referring to Michelle Obama and her Becoming book Deluxe edition. It would cost me around $300 verses $4500 for a signed check of hers. The signed photos I don’t trust for being authentic plus half the time they have those ugly authentication stickers on them AND cost at least twice as much as a signed Becoming book. I have seen non-deluxe versions of Becoming signed but I can’t trust them since many are indeed forgeries whereas the authentic ones cost pretty much the same as the deluxe ones except have stickers in them.
That's great about the library. I hope it works out.
And, yes, ex-library books take a serious hit in value as collectable books, so you might even be doing the autographs a favor.
As for MO, I agree that the limited edition book is probably the best way to go. And since it's newer and issued in a (relatively) large edition, losing a few to the scissors is not the end of the world, especially when there aren't any other good options.
One of the two signed circulating books I spotted at our local library has been checked out. It’s the first time I noticed it checked out in years! The two identical but unsigned copies of the same book are still there and have not been checked out. I wonder if they checked out the signed one BECAUSE it was signed? I put it in between the two unsigned copies on the shelve thinking if someone checked out this book they would most likely pick the first one or last one. But nope, they went for the signed one in the middle.
Its not in the wild but going thru my uncles old books after he passed i found a signed edward rowe snow book.
He knew the man so its not that surprising
Also a book called extrodinary boston given to my grandfather when he retired that was signed by former mayor raymond flynn
I have some ERS books I got signed when I was a little kid. I used to love reading his books about treasure and pirates and the New England coast.
This was the book:
We MIGHT have to have a funeral for it. There is no knowing if it will come back or survive the journey.
(Just have to have a laugh over this in case I never see this book again and never get it via library discarding).
The good news is the other signed book I wanted, I discovered we got two MORE copies of it and both are signed so all three copies of that are signed, whereas only one of three of this Steinem book are signed. This other book is signed by a local Holocaust survivor, so not anyone famous but still interesting historically.
Quick question: just shelved a book in the thrift store where I volunteer, from 2001, "Does America Need a Foreign Policy, etc. etc.", signed by Henry Kissinger. Our store priced it at $14.95. Good or bad price?
If in decent shape that sounds good to me, if genuine.
HK is 99 years old and has always been somewhat elusive. Sometimes he responds, usually he doesn't.
Edit: I just did an eBay search and realized his signed books are selling for over $75 generally. Some even over $100.
I just did a search and I stand corrected. That is a STEAL! A similar signed book, that was personalized sold for $75 on eBay. Buy that copy at the thrift store as soon as possible.
I didn’t realize his signed books were more desirable than just his signature and letters which bring under $25 generally.
https://ebay.com/itm/HENRY-KISSINGER-Signed-1st-Does-America-Need-a-Foreign-Policy-HC-Diplomacy-EXC-/352981763356?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0
Don't you think it might go up even more when he dies?
It very well might. Betty White’s autograph went up in price when she died despite the fact she was almost 100. I didn’t think the price was as affected by death when the person died at a very old age since much more autographs would had been signed during their lifetime verses someone who died younger. I guess all autographs go up when the person that signed them dies even if they signed a bunch and die at an old age.
I mainly meant for Henry. Your're right, when they sign a lot and live a long life, usually their autographs tend to stay a certain level. Ann Miller signed a lot and hers is very affordable. Icon like Bon Hope hovers around $30-$60 for album page signatures, and that him, not wife signed like many are.
I think Betty will stabilize in a few years, how much? Who knows.
I think his autograph will definitely go up in value after he dies.
OK. I dug around past auctions on eBay and was finding results in the $30-40 range.
I picked up John Matuszak's (NFL player and Actor most known as Sloth from Goonies) book Cruisin' with the Tooz off amazon used for 10 bucks. Opened it up to find his signature. No mention on the amazon listing of it and have compared it and looks legit although haven't ever bothered to send out for authentication. Nice little surprise saying he wasn't big on autographs and died in 1989.
picked up a signed Bruce Hood (referee) at goodwill for $2 a few days ago.
Not a book but a circulating library item. Found this signed CD that had the autograph ruined by cataloging placing the Call Number label right on top of part of the autograph.
poor autograph i feel sorry for it
More than two months later the Steinem book still has not returned. The lending period is 3 weeks so it’s well beyond that. The book might be history.
A blow dryer might work for removing that label. If done slowly enough you just might be able to remove it cleanly.
Just found a book while shelving signed by Sonia Sanchez. It looked old and used but the signed page if so desired could be salvaged.
I don't see any successes or addresses for her on another site. I wonder if she's rare. Any chance to dig up another copy and swap it out?
Did that signed Gloria Steinem book ever get returned?
Technically against the rules to swap out book even if I buy a replacement. It’s an inconvenience for library to delete and re-enter and re-label the book so it’s not something you are supposed to do but if you are a patron then you will be forgiven by replacing book instead of having your library card deactivated.
Since I am an employee I can only request to have the book when/if they delete it from catalog in the future which is what I had told the cataloguer. They told me sometimes certain books (for whatever reason) never leave the collection despite age and low circulation. We still have books from decades ago that never got checked out in 20+ years because cataloguing just never got around to deleting them.
The Gloria Steinem book did returned about three weeks after I noticed it missing and it’s been sitting on the shelf since along with the other two non-signed copies. Since it has circulated once now it is more unlikely they will delete it and if they delete ANY they would instead delete one or both of the unsigned ones.
Very interesting inside perspective.
I am not an employee so it's easy for me to say this, but I'd be tempted to get another copy (both of those books) and recreate the labels/markings. If the signatures were going to be cut out anyway, the library copy could be cannibalized as necessary to paste whatever was necessary into the replacement book to turn it into a clone of the original.
But I wouldn't expect you to do that.
Actually I wouldn’t have to copy the labels, I can probably carefully remove them from the library copy and replace them to the new other copy. And then find a way to stamp them (that part would be tricky). The only thing that MIGHT raise a red flag is me checking out the books on my account (since I already inquired about wanting them after they get discarded). But I suspect returning them wouldn’t be an issue since the tags would be the same so it would pass the scanners.
Just looked on eBay and found one just like it. It’s in much better condition but this one on eBay is personalized, the one at the library is not. It’s $150!
https://ebay.com/itm/165396724675?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=1ysDmSdzQmu&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=da4IlHDuTvG&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
That's a great inscription.
I found this other Gloria Steinem signed book but I believe this might be printed. It was hard to tell if it was printed but the ink looked the same as the book’s printing. What do you think?
I know I can look for other pictures of this title’s signed copies and see if the signatures match but will do that later.