6 Rare Children’s Books Worth Money

What makes rare children's books worth money? Even if a book is vintage, that doesn't make it valuable.

First Booksellers look for first editions, dust jackets, and attractive bindings.

The market determines a book's value. As such, well-known books sell for the highest prices. Below, I will look at rare children's books that are worth money and how to identify them. I also have a download of rare books and their values.

If you are looking to buy rare children's books, I might have some for sale in my website shop. I sell a variety of books, from children's vintage books to natural history.

1 Cicely Mary Barker – Flower Fairies

First-edition flower fairy books are easy to find, but it's not always easy to spot them. First, they sell for more with a dust jacket and in good condition.

The small pocket books break easily at the spine. You will also need to check that they have complete plates, as rare children's books often have plates removed by collectors.

Check that the publisher is Blackie & Son Ltd. If it's Frederick Warne, it is a much later reprint. Many of these books are also undated, so you can check the price on the dust jacket. First editions list 1/6 shillings and 1940s reprints list 2/6 shillings. Although some later editions with dust jackets are also worth money,

· Blackie & Son Ltd

· 1920s Editions

2 A.A. Milne - Winnie-the-Pooh

Vintage children's books that are worth money are likely books you already know. Winnie-the-Pooh books with a pristine dust jacket have sold for £10,000, but copies without a dust jacket still sell for a few hundred.

Luckily, these books have a clear date on the copyright page, 1926. If it has a dust jacket, you will find the price is 7/6 net. You can compare your copy to others selling at a high price on Peter Harrington's A.A. Milne Page.

As with all books, copies with pristine jackets, inscribed and earlier editions are all classed as rare valuable children’s books.

· Methuen & Co. Ltd

· 1920s Editions

3 Beatrix Potter – Peter Rabbit

The first edition of Peter Rabbit is one of the most sought-after rare children's books. The first private printings sell for £30,000, but it's more likely you will find a later commercial reprint valued at a few hundred.

The 1917 Rule is the main factor to keep in mind. Previously, I wrote about how to find a first edition of Beatrix Potter. In 1917, Warne became a limited company. So, if you have a book that says F. Warne & Co. Ltd, you have a later print that is not a true first and not worth a lot of money.

If you think you have found one, take clear photographs of the cover, spine, and title page and compare them with others.

· Frederick Warne & Co

· The 1917 Rule

4 Lewis Carroll – Alice In Wonderland

One of the most sought-after rare children’s books is Alice in Wonderland. True first editions (of which there are only 23 copies) would be worth a lot, but you’re unlikely to find one. Other early editions sell for £10,000.

The US first editions from D. Appleton & Company can also sell for a few thousand. You can find valued Alice in Wonderland books on the Alice Looking website.

· UK Macmillan and Co.

· US D. Appleton & Company

5 Rudyard Kipling – Jungle Book

The Jungle Book is Kipling’s most sought-after book. The title page will explicitly state the date 1894. Later prints will also say second edition or reprint. The rare cover features three elephants, and the spine a cobra.

Look out for two books: the rare American first edition has a dust cover featuring a black elephant. The UK first editions are more common and are still worth money. These have a blue cover with gold. Overall, editions in the 1890s are valuable.

· Macmillan and Co.

· 1890s Editions

6 J. M. Barrie – Peter Pan

The First edition of Peter Pan and Wendy was published in 1911 by Hodder & Stoughton. And In the US by Charles Scribner’s Sons. The first novel is in olive-green cloth and illustrated with 13 black & white plates, and is worth about £300.

There is also a Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens with Arthur Rackham, worth as much as £1000. These books aren't too rare, as I have seen many before, but the value depends heavily on condition.

· Peter Pan & Wendy, 1911

· Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, 1906

Identifying First Editions

Identifying a rare children’s book begins with knowing what to look for. A familiar title or an old publication date is a start, but rarity alone does not guarantee a high value.

The end value depends on the edition, publication date, publisher and, above all, condition. The titles below are useful examples to watch for before checking the edition and printing details more closely.

Rare Children’s Books Worth Money -

· JRR Tolkien - The Hobbit

· Roald Dahl - Matilda

· CS Lewis - Narnia Books

· JK Rowling - Harry Potter

· Michael Bond - Paddington

· J. M. Barrie - Peter Pan

· EB White - Charlotte’s Web

· Enid Blyton - The Famous Five

Edition & Print

Before deciding that your book is worth money, you need to determine if it’s a true first edition. For vintage books, you will need to look up the book’s date and publisher to confirm they match a first edition. For modern first-edition books, it’s much easier.

Since the 1970s, many books have used a print key (print line) to identify the edition and print run. This sequence of numbers usually appears on the copyright page.

e.g. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

The lowest number in the sequence identifies the printing. If 1 appears, the book is generally a first printing, regardless of the order of the numbers. If 2 is the lowest number, it is a second printing. Each sequence below represents a first printing:

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4

3 5 7 1 9 10 8 6 4 2

Some books make it easier by stating “First Edition” on the copyright page. One example is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Book Condition

A book’s condition is one of the most important factors in determining its value. Rare children’s books were often handled heavily by children, so it’s less likely to find them in pristine condition.

Collectors usually examine the covers, spine, binding, pages, illustrations, and dust jacket before deciding what a copy is worth.

A book in excellent condition is complete, clean, firmly bound, and free from major repairs. Damp can cause staining, mould and rippling. Sunlight may also fade the spine and reduce value.

The dust jacket is especially important. Look for an unclipped, bright jacket with minimal tears. Collectors pay significantly more for books in good condition.

Epilogue

Rare children’s books are worth money. But being old doesn’t make a book valuable. The edition, publisher and condition all matter, along with details like complete illustrations and the original dust jacket.

If your book isn’t on this list, don’t worry. Feel free to contact me for a free valuation. You never know; there might be something special sitting on your bookshelf.

@sixbookshop

6 Rare Children’s Books - Worth Money