At 06:19 AM 7/24/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Please excuse any duplication of this message.
>
>Has anyone had experience determining the value of books for insurance
>purposes?  The City of Ottawa Archives has about 400 books ca. 1940 to
>1997 from all over the world which were given as gifts to the Mayor of
>Ottawa.  Very few of the books have the original retail prices on the
>jackets and, of course, those prices would have been specific to the year
>published.  As well, many of the books are inscribed by the donators -
>usually other Mayors or authors.
>
>Is there a quick and easy way of determining a book's value?

        Not really.  There are a wide variety of factors that come into
play.   Generally -- very generally -- Value is related to scarcity in terms
of demand; first editons are more valuable than later editions, or printings
(except if there are illustrations by a collected illustrator; and in
general books, like cars are worth less once they "leave the show room."
        I'd suggest assuming minimal value for the books unless you have a
book signed by someone whose autograph is collectible or a first edition of
a reasonable well-known author.  There are exceptions to all of these
generalizations, but they will apply to the larger majority of titles.



William H. Mulligan, Jr. [[log in to unmask]]
Associate Professor of History
Director, Public History Programs
Forrest C. Pogue Public History Institute
Murray State University
Murray, KY 42071-0009
Phone:(502) 762-6571
Fax:  (502) 762-6587
Home Phone:(502) 753-9033