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.
If you guessed The Lost Symbol was in the Fiction Top 10, you'd be right - 5 times. Dan Brown's latest novel took half the places on the list. He was joined by Edgar Rice
Burroughs, Ayn Rand, Cormac McCarthy, John Steinbeck, and Erle Stanley Gardner. The non-fiction list ranged from Ninja Submission to the 3-volume Handbook of Iron Meteorites. But most
surprising was the appearance of two eBay store items. BookThink hasn't noticed store items on earlier lists, so it may have been more common than we think.
Wouldn't you be surprised if one of the books in your eBay store made the list?
eBay
Fiction Top 10
October 2009
| #1 |
$1,450.00 |
Edgar Rice Burroughs MAD KING McClurg 1st in dw nice |
| #2 |
$1,125.00 |
Atlas Shrugged Signed 10th Anniversary Edition |
| #3 |
$1,035.00 |
Blood Meridian |
| #4 |
$809.00 |
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown - Signed (2009, Hardcover) |
| #5 |
$806.00 |
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown SIGNED LIMITED EDITION |
| #6 tie |
$700.00 |
THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown **SIGNED LIMITED 1/1000** |
| #6 tie |
$700.00 |
AUTOGRAPHED The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown 1 OF 500 |
| #8 |
$689.99 |
TCOT Velvet Claws, 1st in 2nd DJ, Erle Stanley Gardner |
| #9 |
$667.89 |
Sea of Cortez Book By Steinbeck 1st edition 1941 |
| #10 |
$642.34 |
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown 1st, signed 1000 limited |
The 1926 1st edition in very good condition sold after 6 bids.
The signed 10th anniversary edition in like new condition attracted 13 bids before selling for $1,125.00. It was #1128 or 2000 in the limited edition.
24 bids took the 1985 1st edition to $1,035.00. It was described as "Book is in excellent condition! ... Dust Jacket is in immaculate condition with only very light
shelf rubbing."
Leading the pack of signed 1st edition Lost Symbols in the fiction top 10, this copy in brand new condition sold after 7 bids. It was 1 of 1000 in the limited edition.
Another signed 1st edition also was 1 of the 1000 in the limited edition. It sold after 6 bids.
Sold as a BIN, this signed 1st edition was 1 of 1000 in the limited edition.
Another signed 1st edition of The Lost Symbol tied for #6 in the list. It was 1 of 500 in the limited edition.
#8
The Case of the Velvet Claws
Erle Stanley Gardner
180417712984
The 1933 very good 1st edition in a 2nd edition dust jacket attracted 13 bids to sell for $689.99.
#9
Sea of Cortez
John Steinbeck and E.F. Ricketts
280412407585
Coming in at #9, the 1941 1st edition sold for $667.89 after 14 bids.
Yet another signed 1st edition copy of The Lost Symbol rounds out the fiction top 10. It was 1 of 1000 in the limited edition.
eBay
Non-Fiction Top 10
October 2009
| #1 |
$4,980.00 |
Harry Potter and the Half blood Prince by J.K. Rowling |
| #2 |
$2,607.57 |
1934 Security Analysis by Graham and Dodd 1st Ed.s |
| #3 |
$1,749.00 |
Time and Two Seats by Wimpffen, Long Distance Racing |
| #4 |
$1,526.00 |
First Copy off press of SuperFreakonomics signed! |
| #5 |
$1,485.00 |
Narcotics Anonymous 1st Edition(Blue Book) |
| #6 |
$1,200.00 |
HANDBOOK OF IRON METEORITES by VAGN F. BUCHWALD - USED |
| #7 |
$799.99 |
Ninja Submission by Masaaki Hatsumi Rare Ninjutsu |
| #8 |
$750.00 |
SIGNED Irving Penn EARTHLY BODIES Nudes 1949-50-2002 |
| #9 |
$700.00 |
Margin of Safety by Seth A. Klarman (1991, Hardcover) |
| #10 |
$692.18 |
RED ROSES FROM TEXAS~RARE BOOK ON KENNEDY ASSASSINATION |
#1
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
J.K. Rowling
130338154639
The signed 1st edition in brand new condition sold as a BIN. It was listed by a US seller with 11 feedback.
#2
Security Analysis
Benjamin Graham and David Dodd
140351315009
23 bids took this 1934 1st edition in good condition to $2,607.57 and #2 in the October non-fiction category.
#3
Time and Two Seats
Five Decades of Long Distance Racing
Janos L. Wimpffen
110409615167
Sold from an eBay store, the very good signed 2-volume set brought $1,749.00.
#4
SuperFreakonomics
Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
200391473810
A novice seller listed a winner with this "first copy off press of SuperFreakonomics." The charity auction attracted 40 bids and closed at $1,526.
"Picture is not actual I was going to add one but cant find my camera," wrote the seller with 1 feedback. The very good condition book sold after 13 bids.
#6
Handbook of Iron Meteorites
Vagn F. Buckwald
370276216155
The 3-volume 1975 university press work was ex-library described as in very good condition. After a 10-day auction, it sold on a single bid for $1,200.
#7
Ninja Submission
[in Japanese]
Masaaki Hatsumi
350261802777
The 1991 1st edition written in Japanese sold from an eBay store for $799.99.
#8
Earthly Bodies
Irving Penn's Nudes, 1949-50
Maria Morris Hambourg
200349402418
Sold as a BIN, the signed 1st edition in a dust jacked was described as in like new condition.
The like new in dust jacket copy of Margin of Safety sold as a BIN.
Listed by an Australian seller, the 1st edition in dust jacket sold after a single bid. "The print run was estimated at less than 1,000 with the majority of books going into
the British library system."
By the Numbers
19 sellers were from the USA
1 seller was from Australia
16 books were published during or after 1950
4 were published before 1950
Seller feedback ranged from 0 to 6143
7 purchases were BIN, including at least 2 from eBay stores
0 purchases were Best Offer
15 books were sold by sellers with 100% positive feedback
Feedback percentage ranged from 94.1% to 100% for sellers who had feedback
The oldest book was published in 1926.
*feedback is noted at the time the auction is viewed by BookThink.
eBay
Antiquarian & Collectible Top 5
October 2009
| #1 |
$22,666.33 |
1838 Mormon Hymnal |
| #2 |
$14,900.00 |
1899 Original Wonderful Wizard of Oz Baum FIRST EDITION |
| #3 |
$11,300.00 |
TOKYO SUBURBIA by Takashi Homma, DLE, 15 PRINTS + BOOK |
| #4 |
$7,800.00 |
POCKET ALMANACK FOR THE YEAR 1754 by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN/TD>
|
| #5 |
$7,600.00 |
CHESS R. Braune, Apotre de la Symetrie. 1913. X-Mas 18. |
#1
A Collection of Sacred Hymns, for the Church of the Latter Day Saints
David W. Rogers
110441525155
In some cases, the very existence of a book is more significant than its condition. That was true in the case of the 1838 Mormon Hymnal. The US seller described it's many
flaws, starting with, "INCOMPLETE, soiled and worn; now professionally restored." After 6 bids, it sold for $22,666.33.
Sold as a BIN, the 1899 1st edition brought the Spanish seller nearly $15,000.
Listed by a US seller, the book of photography was described as a "very fine/new, signed, limited edition with a signed portfolio of 15 c-prints ....'
#4
A Pocket Alamanack for the Year 1754
Benjamin Franklin
320434868219
Coming in at #4 is the 1754 almanac by Benjamin Franklin. It sold for $7,800 after 24 bids.
Listed by a Swedish seller, the 1913 40-page book on chess attracted 15 bids.
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