Wealthy book collectors pursue great rarities such as the Gutenberg Bible, and Shakespeare's First Folio, books which are both famous and extremely valuable. Collectors of lesser means may collect works by a favorite author, first editions of modern authors, or books on a given subject. Book prices generally depend on the demand for a given edition, the number of copies available, and a book's condition. Some collectors join associations such as The Fine Press Book Association, which is aimed at collectors of modern fine printing. There are millions of books, so collectors necessarily specialize in one or more genres or subgenres of literature. A reader of fiction, who enjoys Westerns, might decide to collect first editions of Zane Grey's novels. A lover of modern English poetry might collect the works of W H Auden. A Californian who prefers non-fiction might look for books about the history of the San Francisco Bay Area. Antiquarian book collecting may be roughly defined as an interest in books printed prior to 1900 and can encompass interest in 19th, 18th, 17th, 16th, and 15th-century books. Antiquarian book collectors are not exclusively interested in first editions and first printings, although they can be. European books created before 1455 are all hand-written and are therefore one-of-a-kind historical artifacts in which the idea of "edition" and "printing" is irrelevant. There is also an interest among antiquarians for books beautifully made with fine bindings and high quality paper. For many books printed before about 1770, the first edition is not always obtainable, either because of price and/or availability. Later editions/printings from an era of interest are still often desirable to the antiquarian collector as they are also artifacts.
You may not be able to find a first edition William Shakespeare at your local antique store, how ever there are some common books you can find for your collection, or flip them for a profit. While browsing the shelves it's a good practice to pull out anything you know to be a classic book and look to see if it is a first edition. Basically any first editions, or just very old books by classic authors like: Ernest Hemingway, Leo Tolstoy, Charles Dickens, or Edgar Allan Poe can bring big money. Early, Stephen King first editions:like Carrie can bring upwards of $2,500. Even old medical book sets and Harvard Classics are always worth looking up on google. They are hit and miss, some are worthless others can have great value. Before you start collection do a little research on the differences between first additions. So next time you're walking past a antique store, a thrift or curiosity shop, stop in and browse the shelves for hidden literary treasures or a really cool Archie comic ...
