What to Do When You Inherit a Book Collection

Inheriting a book collection is an experience that combines grief, responsibility, and often bewilderment. Whether you have inherited a few shelves of books from a parent or grandparent, or a substantial collection from a dedicated bibliophile, the questions are the same: What is this worth? What should I keep? How do I sell what I do not want? And how do I avoid making expensive mistakes?

This guide walks you through the process step by step.

Step 1: Do Not Throw Anything Away

This is the most important instruction in this entire guide. Do not discard, donate, or give away any books until you have evaluated them. The book that looks least interesting — a plain cloth binding with no dust jacket, a slim volume of poetry, an ugly paperback — may be the most valuable item in the collection.

Real examples of near-disasters:

• A family clearing an estate nearly recycled a collection of Penguin paperbacks that included first editions worth several thousand dollars each
• Boxes of “old children’s books” destined for a charity shop contained a first edition Charlotte’s Web worth $15,000
• A “worthless” set of plain green books turned out to be a complete first edition Lord of the Rings trilogy

Until you know what you have, treat everything as potentially valuable.

Step 2: Secure the Collection

Before evaluation, ensure the books are stored safely:

Environmental protection. Move books out of damp basements, hot attics, and garages. Moisture, heat, and temperature fluctuations cause damage that destroys value. A temperature-controlled indoor room is adequate for short-term storage.

Pest prevention. If books have been stored in an uncontrolled environment, inspect for signs of insect damage (small holes, powdery residue) or mould (musty smell, visible growth). If you find either, isolate the affected books in sealed plastic bags until they can be treated.

Physical protection. Do not stack books in high, unstable piles. Lay oversized books flat. Keep books away from food, drinks, and pets.

Step 3: Inventory the Collection

Create a basic inventory of what you have. You do not need to catalogue every book at this stage — you need a general sense of the collection’s scope:

Sort by category. Separate the books into rough groups: modern fiction, children’s books, poetry, non-fiction, antiquarian (very old) books, illustrated books, signed books, and miscellaneous.

Flag potentially valuable items. Look for:

• Books with dust jackets (particularly older books — pre-1970s jackets are increasingly scarce)
• Signed or inscribed books
• Books published before 1900
• Books with “First Edition” on the copyright page
• Limited or numbered editions
• Fine bindings (leather, gilt, silk, or unusual materials)
• Books by well-known authors in early editions
• Children’s picture books from before 1980

Photograph everything. Take clear photographs of each book (front cover, spine, copyright page) and any signatures or inscriptions. These photographs will be essential for appraisal.

Step 4: Get a Professional Appraisal

For any collection that might contain valuable material, a professional appraisal is essential:

Find a qualified appraiser. The Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America (ABAA) maintains a directory of member dealers, many of whom offer appraisal services. The American Society of Appraisers (ASA) certifies personal property appraisers who specialise in rare books.

Types of appraisals:

• Insurance appraisal: Establishes replacement value for insurance purposes. Uses retail replacement values.
• Estate/tax appraisal: Establishes fair market value for estate tax purposes. Required by the IRS for estates above the filing threshold if the collection is a significant asset.
• Liquidation appraisal: Estimates what you can realistically expect to receive if you sell. Uses wholesale values.

Cost: Professional appraisals typically cost $100–$300 per hour, with a minimum engagement fee. For a large collection, budget $500–$2,000. This is a worthwhile investment — an appraiser may identify a single book worth more than the entire appraisal cost.

What an appraiser will do: A qualified appraiser examines the books physically, identifies first editions and significant editions, notes condition, and produces a written report with estimated values. They should explain their methodology and cite comparable sales.

Step 5: Decide What to Keep

After appraisal, you will know what the collection contains and what it is worth. Decide what you want to keep based on:

Personal significance. Books that are meaningful to you — volumes that connect you to the person who owned them — are worth keeping regardless of market value.

Financial value. If the appraisal identifies high-value items, consider whether you want to hold them as investments, enjoy them as collectibles, or sell them.

Space and care requirements. Rare books require proper storage. If you cannot provide appropriate conditions (controlled temperature and humidity, protection from light and pests), the books may be better off sold to someone who can care for them.

Step 6: Sell What You Don’t Want

You have several selling options, each with different trade-offs:

Sell to a dealer. Fastest route. The dealer makes an offer for part or all of the collection, pays you, and takes the books. You receive wholesale prices (typically 30–60% of retail value) but avoid the time and effort of other methods.

Consign to an auction house. For high-value individual items or coherent collections, auction consignment can produce the highest returns. The auction house catalogues, markets, and sells the books; you receive the hammer price minus the seller’s commission (typically 10–20%). The process takes 3–6 months from consignment to payment.

Sell online. You can list books on ABEBooks, eBay, or other platforms. This gives you the highest potential return (retail prices) but requires significant time investment: photographing, describing, listing, communicating with buyers, packaging, and shipping.

Donate. Donating valuable books to a charitable institution (university library, public library, museum) may provide a tax deduction. The deduction is based on fair market value as established by a qualified appraisal. Consult a tax advisor before making charitable donations of valuable property.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Cleaning or repairing books before selling. Amateur cleaning and repair almost always reduces value. Do not wash, polish, tape, glue, or otherwise “fix” the books. Sell them as-is and let the buyer or a professional conservator handle any needed treatment.

Accepting the first offer. Get multiple appraisals and multiple dealer offers. The first offer is rarely the best.

Selling everything to a single buyer. Different categories of books sell best through different channels. The high-value first editions might be best sold at auction; the mid-range material through a dealer; the common books through a library sale or donation.

Ignoring ephemera. Letters, postcards, photographs, bookmarks, and other items tucked inside books can be valuable — sometimes more valuable than the books themselves. Check every book for loose items before selling.

Rushing. Unless the estate requires immediate liquidation, take your time. The rare book market rewards patience. Books that do not sell at their first asking price can always be offered again later.