Fantasy Trilogies x Asking Prices
Friday, July 09, 2010
Possibly another list that may only interest me, but here's a quick survey of the prices asked for some of the most popular high fantasy trilogies.
This looks at the total, average asking price (on abebooks) for all volumes of the series. Based on first editions, first printings - hardcovers, with dust jackets, in good condition and (where possible) without author signatures.
Stephen Donaldson - The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (3 volumes) - $300 - $350
Bizarrely, this feels low. I'm really uncertain about Donaldson's place in history. On one hand, he's cited with surprising frequency as an important influence. On the other, I'm always surprised that he's still alive and publishing (harsh, but true).
David Eddings - The Belgariad (5 volumes) - $1,800 - $3,000
Wow. Apparently there were all sorts of problems - including a warehouse fire - that kept the true firsts rare, even with the later books in the series.
David Eddings - The Mallorean (5 volumes) - $100 - $150
Problems sorted.
Guy Gavriel Kay - The Fionavar Tapestry (3 volumes) - $160 - $300
Shrug.
Ursula LeGuin - Earthsea (first 3 volumes only) - $2,400 - $5,000
True firsts of A Wizard of Earthsea are very rare, which is why this range is so bonkers. If you're willing to settle for a slightly later printing, this drops substantially. The later Earthsea books are of negligible value.
Phillip Pullman - His Dark Materials (3 volumes) - $750 - $15,000+
The mad range is from comparing US and UK editions, and, more specifically, whether or not it includes the true first of Northern Lights. Essentially, this is a meaningless estimate. I'd suggest that anyone looking to collect His Dark Materials does a lot of research before hitting "Buy it now."
JRR Tolkien - The Lord of the Rings (3 volumes) - $15,000+
And cheap at the price.
Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman - Dragonlance Chronicles (first 3 volumes only) - $60 - $80
Not sure if this is indicative of shared world or game-based fiction as a whole.