Book values from recorded sales
What first editions are really worth: every edition we have valued from recorded sales of the same printing, by condition and with or without its jacket, most valuable first. Values as of 21 October 2026.
A book's value rests on three things: that it is the first printing of the first edition, its condition and its dust jacket, and demand for the title. The 28 editions below each have at least three recorded sales of the same printing in the last two years; the band is where the middle of those sales fell, shown in your currency.
| No. | Edition | Year | Value band | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Hobbit | 1937 | £2,900 to £17,000 | 8 |
| 2 | A Christmas Carol | 1843 | £4,650 to £6,750 | 3 |
| 3 | Nineteen Eighty-Four | 1949 | £405 to £4,000 | 9 |
| 4 | The Wind in the Willows | 1908 | £2,300 to £3,300 | 3 |
| 5 | The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | 1950 | £1,375 to £2,100 | 3 |
| 6 | Live and Let Die | 1954 | £975 to £1,550 | 3 |
| 7 | Diamonds Are Forever | 1956 | £1,000 to £1,300 | 5 |
| 8 | South: The Story of Shackleton's 1914-1917 Expedition | 1919 | £900 to £1,200 | 4 |
| 9 | From Russia, With Love | 1957 | £712 to £1,150 | 4 |
| 10 | Finnegans Wake | 1939 | £700 to £1,150 | 3 |
| 11 | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | 1964 | £605 to £975 | 3 |
| 12 | N or M? | 1941 | £600 to £950 | 3 |
| 13 | A Clockwork Orange | 1962 | £450 to £888 | 4 |
| 14 | Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead | 1967 | £800 to £825 | 3 |
| 15 | The Hound of the Baskervilles | 1902 | £488 to £662 | 2 |
| 16 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | 1999 | £385 to £650 | 3 |
| 17 | The Spy Who Came in from the Cold | 1963 | £400 to £555 | 3 |
| 18 | Howards End | 1910 | £360 to £440 | 2 |
| 19 | Death in the Clouds | 1935 | £279 to £409 | 3 |
| 20 | The Hollow | 1946 | £265 to £405 | 4 |
| 21 | Thunderball | 1961 | £196 to £380 | 4 |
| 22 | A Murder Is Announced | 1950 | £215 to £310 | 3 |
| 23 | The Once and Future King | 1958 | £180 to £290 | 3 |
| 24 | A Pocket Full of Rye | 1953 | £115 to £275 | 3 |
| 25 | The Farthest Shore | 1972 | £38 to £47 | 3 |
| 26 | The Queen of the Damned | 1988 | £10 to £39 | 4 |
| 27 | The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb | 1993 | £8 to £13 | 2 |
| 28 | Say Cheese and Die! | 1992 | £4 to £11 | 4 |
Bands come from auction results and verified online sales of the exact printing, outliers removed, recomputed nightly. They are guides, not valuations; each edition's page shows the sales behind its band and how to identify the printing. Read how much is my book worth for the method.
Frequently asked questions
Where do these book values come from?
From recorded sales of the same printing: auction results and verified online sales of the last 24 months, at least three per printing and condition, with outliers removed. The band is the range the middle of those sales fell in, and the sample size is shown beside it.
Why is my book not listed?
A value appears only once three comparable sales are on record for that exact printing and condition. Thousands of editions are tracked but not yet valued; their pages show recent sales as they arrive.
Are these valuations?
No. They are guides from recorded sales, not formal valuations. For insurance or a sale of an important book, ask a specialist dealer or auction house.
Why does the jacket matter so much?
For most books since the 1920s the original dust jacket carries most of the value, so the same first printing is valued separately with and without its jacket.