Do you have hidden treasure in your home? No, don’t go digging up the floorboards or searching the attic or basement. The “treasure” I’m talking about isn’t stacks of old coins or paper money, squirreled away by a curmudgeon who didn’t trust banks after 1929.
I’m talking about books. Rare books—first editions especially, though not exclusively.
I’m no expert on rare or valuable books. I can’t tell you precisely which books are worth far more than their original purchase price. I just know they’re out there—and if you have any old books in your collection, there’s a possibility that there’s something valuable among them.
Rare, valuable books are generally first editions, hardcover, old, and not obscure but not common. For better information, consult the internet or a rare book specialist.
But before you dump out all of Great-Aunt Agatha’s cartons of books that you inherited, have a look to see if anything looks worth following up on.
There may not be money hidden in that cuckoo clock. That “Rembrandt” may be a copy. But rare old books are for real!