by Pamela Palmer

#139, 14 December 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.

If you guessed The Lost Symbol was in the Fiction Top 10, you'd be right - 5 times. Dan Brown's latest novel took half the places on the list. He was joined by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Ayn Rand, Cormac McCarthy, John Steinbeck, and Erle Stanley Gardner. The non-fiction list ranged from Ninja Submission to the 3-volume Handbook of Iron Meteorites. But most surprising was the appearance of two eBay store items. BookThink hasn't noticed store items on earlier lists, so it may have been more common than we think. Wouldn't you be surprised if one of the books in your eBay store made the list?

eBay
Fiction Top 10
October 2009

#1 $1,450.00 Edgar Rice Burroughs MAD KING McClurg 1st in dw nice
#2 $1,125.00 Atlas Shrugged Signed 10th Anniversary Edition
#3 $1,035.00 Blood Meridian
#4 $809.00 The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown - Signed (2009, Hardcover)
#5 $806.00 The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown SIGNED LIMITED EDITION
#6 tie $700.00 THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown **SIGNED LIMITED 1/1000**
#6 tie $700.00 AUTOGRAPHED The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown 1 OF 500
#8 $689.99 TCOT Velvet Claws, 1st in 2nd DJ, Erle Stanley Gardner
#9 $667.89 Sea of Cortez Book By Steinbeck 1st edition 1941
#10 $642.34 The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown 1st, signed 1000 limited

#1
The Mad King
Edgar Rice Burroughs
220497676634

The 1926 1st edition in very good condition sold after 6 bids.

#2
Atlas Shrugged
Ayn Rand
250513145860

The signed 10th anniversary edition in like new condition attracted 13 bids before selling for $1,125.00. It was #1128 or 2000 in the limited edition.

#3
Blood Meridian
Cormac McCarthy
280409100583

24 bids took the 1985 1st edition to $1,035.00. It was described as "Book is in excellent condition! ... Dust Jacket is in immaculate condition with only very light shelf rubbing."

#4
The Lost Symbol
Dan Brown
160366761765

Leading the pack of signed 1st edition Lost Symbols in the fiction top 10, this copy in brand new condition sold after 7 bids. It was 1 of 1000 in the limited edition.

#5
The Lost Symbol
Dan Brown
330364748603

Another signed 1st edition also was 1 of the 1000 in the limited edition. It sold after 6 bids.

#6 tie
The Lost Symbol
Dan Brown
180415280903

Sold as a BIN, this signed 1st edition was 1 of 1000 in the limited edition.

#6 tie
The Lost Symbol
Dan Brownbr> 150379431961

Another signed 1st edition of The Lost Symbol tied for #6 in the list. It was 1 of 500 in the limited edition.

#8
The Case of the Velvet Claws
Erle Stanley Gardner
180417712984

The 1933 very good 1st edition in a 2nd edition dust jacket attracted 13 bids to sell for $689.99.

#9
Sea of Cortez
John Steinbeck and E.F. Ricketts
280412407585

Coming in at #9, the 1941 1st edition sold for $667.89 after 14 bids.

#10
The Lost Symbol
Dan Brown
170393606234

Yet another signed 1st edition copy of The Lost Symbol rounds out the fiction top 10. It was 1 of 1000 in the limited edition.  

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