Book appraisals - General information

If you are interested in a professional, accurate book appraisal, or have simply asked yourself, "what is the value of my book, or my book collection", then you have arrived at the appropriate site. Here you can learn all about what is involved in a book appraisal and obtain an approximate idea of the cost. If you have a significant number of books it is important for you to consider having a qualified person appraise them.

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About us

Booksappraised.com is a division of Beattie Book Companywhich has been actively engaged in bookselling full time since 1977. Initially the business was established in Wayne Pennsylvania. Currently it is located in Green Valley Arizona.

Mr Beattie has been performing appraisals for over 20 years. Not one of his appraisals has ever been questioned, either by the IRS or an insurance company.

What is involved in a book appraisal

In a book appraisal, a value is placed on each book or group of books, depending upon an estimate of their worth. In the case of individual volumes valued at over $100, the appraisal will list each volume with a value for each volume. In the case of books of lesser value, and at the descretion of the client, books may be valued by "shelf" or "lot". It is customary for the book collection to actually be viewed, although if this is impractical, the appraisal may be done from a list, as long as photographic documentation is attached.

In the case of large collections with books of significant value, it is best if the collection is actually examined by the appraiser, although owing to additional time and travel expenses the cost may be prohibitive.

In some cases I contract with a colleague to appraise certain highly specialized collections, including hand written material or original diarys or journals.

Please email or call with any questions pertaining to an appraisal of your books. 520-393-0465. Send email to - [email protected]

The benefits of having us appraise your books

If you choose us for your book appraisal, Mr James Beattie will personally do the research. Because he has over 25 years experience in the antiquarian book business, he will able to complete the appraisal in a more efficient and timely manner than someone with less experience. The reasons for this are simple. An inexperienced person will have to look up prices and research every book. An experienced appraiser like Mr Beattie would only have to check prices on 20-40% of the titles, thereby saving the client hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
(Note that IRS regulations generally prohibit appraisals by persons related to the donor and who cannot establish their expertise in the field.)

Mr Beattie's qualifications far exceed the IRS requirements for an appraiser.

Who might benefit from a book appraisal

Libraries, Institutions, book collectors, lawyers, physicians,engineers, or anyone with a significant number of books who either need insurance protection or reimbursement, or who may wish to take advantage of a tax credit by donating their books to a library or other institution. In many cases it is more advantageous to donate than to sell your books to a dealer, especially given the soft market for books in the past few years.

Most dealers will offer 10-15% of the retail value of most books, whereas for individuals
in most tax brackets, the net gain realized on a deduction based upon a donation is 25 to 35%. Furthermore, it is far easier to donate one's books than arrange for a number of booksellers to visit the house and then compare offers.

What kinds of books can be donated

The most common category of books that I'm asked to appraise are books (and journals) on the law and medicine. Both categories are difficult to sell, and, in most cases, It is best to donate them and take a tax credit. The same applies to most technical and professional journals.

However, books on any subject can be donated to a library or charitable organization. If the collection is worth less than $5,000.00 an independent appraisal is not required by the IRS. Any donation valued above $5,000 must be accompanied by an independent appraisal.

If you are unsure whether or not your collection is worth the expense of an appraisal, if you send your list of titles I will look it over and give you an approximate estimate of the fair market value. In most cases there is no charge for this, nor is there any obligation to contract for an appraisal.