by Pamela Palmer

#129, 23 November 2008

Which fiction and non-fiction books are winners on eBay? Each month this series answers the question and, along the way, looks at the listing strategies sellers use to bring in big bucks. To learn more about what's in and what's out of the lists, read our Top 10 on eBay Parameters.

NOTE: Items numbers are now included in this article. They are in the individual auction comments section below the author and title. Click the links to see the listings.

Modern fiction dominated it's top 10 category with all titles published after 1950. In addition to the usual King, Fleming, and Tolkien, there's Meyer, Wallace, Card, and Tales of Suspense #39. BookThink readers likely will recognize the #11 title: The Highland Mole, by Gordon and Williams and signed by both, sold for $726.25. It was a 1st edition hardback, described as 1 of the 500 printed. The non-fiction list ranged from Hemingway's In Our Time at the #1 position to Jerusalem Windows at #10. Listing a book in the "wrong" caregory isn't uncommon, especially among high end works. Was it an error or a strategy? Only the U.S. seller knows for sure. For those of you tracking the fortunes of the Top 10 Antiquarian frequent seller, he or she shows up 3 times on the October 2008 list.

eBay
Fiction Top 10
October 2008

#1 $4,150.00 Stephen King- The Gunslinger DT 1 Grant Signed Limited
#2 $2,900.00 Tales of Suspense #39 cgc 8.0 slight(P) exist cgc
#3 $1,900.00 Exquisite Signed Stephen King - THE STAND-#821 of 1250
#4 $1,656.16 FIRST EDITION IAN FLEMING JAMES BOND LIVE AND LET DIE
#5 $1,500.00 THE TWO TOWERS 1st. U.S.ed. In DJ J.R.R. Tolkien
#6 $1,050.00 Stephen King - Green Mile - Signed Limited #110
#7 $950.00 SIGNED 1st Infinite Jest - David Foster Wallace + Bonus
#8 $805.19 Moonraker Ian Fleming Uk HB 1ST/1ST 1955 Cape
#9 $800.00 STEPHENIE MEYER NEW MOON FIRST PRTING SIGNED BY AUTHOR
#10 $799.99 Card's Ender's Game First Edition Extremely Fine

#1
The Gunslinger
Stephen King
link

The signed limited edition in a slipcase was among the 500 issued. The US seller ran into the automatically assigned "acceptable" eBay puts in item specifics when the seller doesn't supply that information. However, the auction text gives the condition as fine.

#2
Tales of Suspense #39
link

Other sources give the date as 1963 when this magazine with a cover cost of 12 cents was published. After 1 sentence of text, the terse US seller leaves it to pictures to show details.

#3
The Stand
Stephen King
link

A signed deluxe 1st edition, this was #821 of 1250 and sold after a single bid.

#4
Live and Let Die
Ian Fleming
link

Listed by a UK seller, the 1st edition was called "one of the rarest Bond books!" It garnered 34 bids.

#5
The Two Towers
J.R.R. Tolkien
link

The 1st US edition is described as "A fine copy with map ... in a near fine price clipped dust jacket." It sold as a BIN.

#6
Green Mile
Stephen King
link

Sold as a Best Offer, the signed limited 10th anniversary limited edition contains 60 new sketches by Mark Geyer.

#7
Infinite Jest
David Foster Wallace
link

This book was listed by a Canadian seller and sold to a novice eBay buyer. Nearly a month after the listing closed, though, there is no feedback to indicate whether the sale was completed or not.

#8
Moonraker
Ian Fleming
link

Sold by a UK seller in a facsimile dust jacket, the 1st edition is described as in "very nice condition." It sold after 31 bids.

#9
New Moon
Stephenie Meyer
link

Published in 2006, the book is described as "As New in an As New dustjacket." It sold as a best offer.

#10
Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card
link

Listed in "new condition," the book sold as a BIN.

 

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