by Pamela Palmer

#134, 27 April 2009

Which fiction and non-fiction books are winners on eBay? Each month this series answers the question and, along the way, looks at the listing strategies sellers use to bring in big bucks. To learn more about what's in and what's out of the lists, read our Top 10 on eBay Parameters.

NOTE: Items numbers are now included in this article. They are in the individual auction comments section below the author and title. Click the links to see the listings.

Canada, New Zealand, and Australia were represented in the March top 10 lists. Canadian sellers took 3 places, and 2 US sellers each sold two titles on the fiction list. It veered toward more recent titles and less experienced sellers with all 10 titles were published during or after 1950, and 7 books listed by sellers with 50 or fewer feedbacks. The non-fiction group included sellers from New Zealand and Australia. A US seller sold 3 books in the top 10, and half the listings were sold by sellers with fewer than 50 feedbacks.

eBay
Fiction Top 10
March 2009

#1 $2,000.00 Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand Signed First in 1st DJ
#2 $1,500.00 Little Sisters of Eluria Artist # 2121 With Remark
#3 $1,400.00 The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger First 1st/1st
#4 $1,282.77 m22) DUNE, Frank Herbert, 1965 First Edition, Sci Fi
#5 tie $1,000.00 Harry Potter - Prisoner of Azkaban (Uncorrected Proof)
#5 tie $1,000.00 AYN RAND ATLAS SHRUGGED FIRST EDITION 1ST PRINTING 57
#7 $956.00 * SIGNED * Harry Potter / Deathly Hallows / J K Rowling
#8 $937.77 FOUNDATION TRILOGY SET ISAAC ASIMOV FIRST EDITION BOOK
#9 $800.00 Deluxe Little Sisters of Eluria # 1154 Stephen King
#10 $787.77 Twilight SIGNED First Edition Stephenie Meyer 1st Movie

#1
Atlas Shrugged
Ayn Rand
280320129828

Sold on a single bid, the signed 1st edition with wear and rubbing was in a 1st printing dust jacket. It was "housed in custom sculpted leather clamshell case with red leather spine label."

#2
Little Sisters of Eluria
Stephen King and Michael Whelan
180336022514

Who has the drawing? Artist Whelan told the publisher "he did drawings on 30 to 50 of the signature pages ... and we have no idea which numbered copies they ended up in." Up at auction is #2121 with an artist remark (drawing). It is described as brand new and perfect. The book sold as a BIN.

#3
The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger
280325946565

Listed by the seller of #1, the 1st edition in 1st state dust jacket was "housed in a custom sculpted leather clamshell case." It sold after a single bid.

#4
Dune
Frank Herbert
230328964798

15 bids took this 1965 1st edition from a starting bid of $9.99 to sell for $1,282.77. When asked if it was a 1st printing, the seller replied, "I merely quoted 'First Edition' from the copyright page." After that response, there were other questions about specifics of the book and dust jacket.

#5 tie
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
J.K Rowlings
270356665874

Listed by a Canadian seller, the uncorrected proof is described as the 1st version. It sold for $1,000 after a single bid.

#5 tie
Atlas Shrugged
Ayn Rand
130289356656

Another Canadian seller listed this copy of Atlas Shrugged. It sold as a best offer.

#7
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
J.K. Rowling
110368190400

A 3rd Canadian seller with only 6 feedbacks saw 24 bids take this signed copy described as in excellent condition to $956.00.

#8
Foundation Trilogy
Foundation
Foundation and Empire
Second Foundation
Isaac Asimov
120391330126

Described as in very good condition, the 3 volume set attracted 16 bids.

#9
Little Sisters of Eluria
Stephen King and Michael Whelan
180332762181

Signed by both King and artist Whelan, it is #1154 of 1250 published with a clamshell tray case. Not the Artist Edition, this edition is bound in different material and has a ribbon. It sold as a BIN.

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