Jump to content

Most rare and valuable ASOIAF books/memorabilia


Daendrew

Recommended Posts

What are the rarest and most valuable ASOIAF first edition first printing books around?

From my research the following books are rarest and most valuable:

1) The uncorrected proof reviewers copy of AGOT from the UK. Only 50 were printed.

2) Meisha Merlin/Subterranean (Sub took over after Meisha shut down) Game of Thrones, only a few hundred of them were printed and it is by far the most expensive ASOIAF book around, with AGOT going for around $4,000. On eBay the five book set is asking $8k.

2) Voyager's (UK) Game of Thrones

3) Voyager's (UK) Clash of Kings (AGOT did not sell as well as they expected and had a shorter print run I have read online)

4) Bantam (US) AGOT silver foil first edition. 

According to Adam Whitehead:
"HarperCollins are George's UK publishers. They planned 5,000 copies across two print runs [of UK AGOT], but they only ended up printing 3,000 in the first run, as the book didn't sell enough to justify the second. They instead released the book much earlier in paperback, which had a much bigger, more beneficial impact on sales.

In the US the famous "silver foil cover" edition had a lot more copies published in hardcover, I think maybe between 10,000 and 15,000? It's much more common than the UK first edition (although they still go for $500 or so, but the UK first edition goes for around twice that)."

"I don't have the figures, but the A Game of Thrones UK sample booklet from Voyager may also be of some value, as it was published 4-5 months ahead of AGoT and was pushed by Voyager to drum up interest for the novel.

I don't know the circulation, but the July 1996 issue of Asimov's featuring the Hugo Award-winning novella Blood of the Dragon (the entire Dany story arc from AGoT assembled into one story) is also of some value, with Amazon listing it at $350."

 

It is no longer $350 because I bought it haha. They are now asking 500 and 750 online for the Asimov's issue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not a book, but the first state dust jacket (proof) by Stephen Youll for AGOT. 7 known to exist. It's the same dust jacket as on the ARC but it doesn't have the ARC copy on it. I own a copy, GRRM was gifted a copy, and two other collector's have the remaining copies.

AGo-TDust-Jacket-Proof2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, becca69 said:

Not a book, but the first state dust jacket (proof) by Stephen Youll for AGOT. 7 known to exist. It's the same dust jacket as on the ARC but it doesn't have the ARC copy on it. I own a copy, GRRM was gifted a copy, and two other collector's have the remaining copies.

AGo-TDust-Jacket-Proof2.jpg

Wow, you are a superduper fan! :) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have 2 of the unbound (loose leaf) proof copies of AGOT that were sent out prior to publication (maybe 50-100 copies out there I think) and an unedited manuscript copy of AGOT that Mr. Martin printed for me from his home computer about 15 years ago (I had intended to get it bound in leather but haven't managed to do so yet).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Magebane said:

I have 2 of the unbound (loose leaf) proof copies of AGOT that were sent out prior to publication (maybe 50-100 copies out there I think) and an unedited manuscript copy of AGOT that Mr. Martin printed for me from his home computer about 15 years ago (I had intended to get it bound in leather but haven't managed to do so yet).

Wow! What a treasure. What’s the story of how you got invited to his house?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Magebane said:

I have 2 of the unbound (loose leaf) proof copies of AGOT that were sent out prior to publication (maybe 50-100 copies out there I think) and an unedited manuscript copy of AGOT that Mr. Martin printed for me from his home computer about 15 years ago (I had intended to get it bound in leather but haven't managed to do so yet).

That is amazing, especially the unedited manuscript. I have a manuscript from October 1995 with Mr.Martin's adress and phone number on the first page. But I think it is an edit version similar to the loose pages versions 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Daendrew said:

Wow! What a treasure. What’s the story of how you got invited to his house?

I acquired it through ongoing correspondence with him. He sold me dozens of international editions over the course of several years and agreed to sell me the printout as well. He is wonderfully personable and kind, but obviously a lot busier nowadays.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The limited edition of LEGENDS is another hard to find treasure. It contains the original Hedge Knight novella. It is particularly scarce because you are also competing with Robert Jordan fans and Stephen King fans (among many others) to get the signed limited edition.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would sacriifice Donald Trump to Melissandre's nightfires for a draft of AGOT printed from GRRM's computer. You don't need to talk me into burning Trump very much hahaha.

I did a favor for GRRM years ago and asked him to make Daendrew a character and gouge my eyes out, rip my tongue out and stab me through the ear drums. I would be elated if he did that. I never thought of asking to print out a draft for me. I would treasure that forever. You are a lucky guy @Magebane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/25/2019 at 8:03 PM, Magebane said:

The limited edition of LEGENDS is another hard to find treasure. It contains the original Hedge Knight novella. It is particularly scarce because you are also competing with Robert Jordan fans and Stephen King fans (among many others) to get the signed limited edition.

 

 

 

That was one of my Grail items until recently. I was able to get a Fine, still wrapped copy of the lettered edition. I'm also one of those "King" fans. Haha.

https://i.postimg.cc/T3QmWGr0/IMG-8950-1.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/26/2019 at 2:12 PM, becca69 said:

Another rare item is the AFFC dust jacket proof. Originally thought to be only 30 copies, GRRM found and sold his stash, probably making the number somewhere between 130-230 copies. Still rare but not as rare as once thought.

I think I have 3 or 4 copies, all signed by George.

https://i.postimg.cc/YS4LN5BN/signing4.jpg

It’s such a shame they abandoned this jacket design. It was so distinctive and shiny! I was very disappointed with the final design of AFFC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Falconer said:

It’s such a shame they abandoned this jacket design. It was so distinctive and shiny! I was very disappointed with the final design of AFFC.

It definitely would have been nice to have a full set of Youll covers. Dance with Dragons was done but is only on some foreign editions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/24/2019 at 1:16 AM, becca69 said:

Not a book, but the first state dust jacket (proof) by Stephen Youll for AGOT. 7 known to exist. It's the same dust jacket as on the ARC but it doesn't have the ARC copy on it. I own a copy, GRRM was gifted a copy, and two other collector's have the remaining copies.

AGo-TDust-Jacket-Proof2.jpg

Amazing collections!

Seems like there's one copy on exhibition at Duke University now. I wonder if it's among the "Seven":P

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are more than the 7 Youll found copies.  Not many - apparently GRRM has a few (in double digit quantity - no mention of condition),  The Youll ones are mint (signed by Stephen and Jamie Youll) and are unfolded except one of mine.  GoBadChicken (ebay seller) told me that they had one years ago but sold it, and Elio (Ran) told me he hadn't seen one for a long time when I was getting one of mine signed at Worldcon in Finland.  This one at Duke looks to be from the Archives of Charles Brown (founder of Locus Magazine and the Locus Awards) that was purchased by Duke.  The cover is pictured in this article about the collection. Cool that it's on display!  It looks to have a hard fold on the side. 
https://blogs.library.duke.edu/blog/2019/04/30/locus-collection-tracks-the-stars-and-universe-of-sci-fi/   

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the Adopt-a-Book program at Duke, one of the books from the collection is a 1st/1st UK Game of Thrones inscribed to Charles N. Brown.  There are 2 other books in that adoption - $150 USD to help pay for clamshell boxes for them.  https://library.duke.edu/about/adopt-book-program .  Inscribed copies are rarer than non-inscribed, however not sure of the affect on price. 

Also on the Adopt-a-Book program is a set of 3, that includes 2 Stephen King titles - Salem's Lot and The Shining.  Not sure if the Salem's Lot has one of the $8.95 jackets or not.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another 'Rare' Game of Thrones related item is the US Bantam ARC that came with the silver foil cover and a sticker on it.  The ARCs were originally handed out with the Youll cover, and when the silver ones arrived, they added the stickers to them and stopped handing out the ARCs with Youll covers.  The silver jacket is the one that was used on the hardback, so it's bigger than the ARC and the top and/or bottom are usually a bit dinged due to the size difference.   I've seen people trying to sell an ARC (without the Youll cover) with a beaten up silver jacket and no sticker as though it came that way. Anyone know if there were actually any handed out like that without the sticker?   

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...