If you have bookshelves full of books you may also have a source of income. Clearing out those books could not only mean a more organized home, but it may also mean less debt or more savings. That is because you can often sell your books for cash. Before you consign them all to a yard sale (where you can still earn some money for the most common books), make sure to check book value. That is because among all of the best sellers and summer reads, you may just find a few books that could make you some real money.
First Editions
First editions of book, even the more popular books, are often in high demand. They should be at least a few years old. You can check to see if your books are first editions by looking at the copyright page. It should have only one copyright date or say first printing somewhere on the page. If it does, the book may be worth something.
Signed Editions
Do you have any books with the author’s signature? If so, collectors may really want those books. The signature would have to be authentic of course. If you had the book signed yourself (or someone you know did) document it and keep that paper with the book. Signatures that are directly on a book are worth more than those that are signed on an adhesive bookplate and then later applied to the book. Not every signature is worth anything, of course. The more popular the author or the more rare the signature, the more the book value.
Older Books
If you have a book that was published at the turn of the century (from the early 1900s or older), no matter what it is about, you may have some money in your hands (although the subject matter or the author may increase the value). Condition is everything with books, so the better the condition, the more collectors may be willing to pay to own a particular book.