What a fair price looks like
Condition on WishThrift is described by the seller against five grades, and nobody inspects them on your behalf — so the description and the photographs are what you are buying on.
| Condition | Typical | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New with Tags | £300 (~$400) | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | £255 (~$340) | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | £195 (~$260) | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | £135 (~$180) | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | £75 (~$100) | Not working or incomplete, sold as seen |
Sterling guide ranges with an approximate US dollar equivalent at £1 ≈ $1.33 (July 2026). Sellers set their own asking price; these are a starting point for judging an offer. All five grades explained.
The checklist before you pay
Damp, which spreads to whatever you shelve beside it and cannot be reversed. Then edition — a later printing described loosely as a first.
Run through these before money changes hands — they are the things that decide whether rare books is worth what is being asked:
- Missing dust jackets, which can slash the value
- Foxing and damp staining to the pages
- Cracked hinges and loose text blocks
- Book club editions mistaken for trade firsts
And the things worth paying more for, because they hold their value:
- True first editions with correct printing markers
- Original dust jackets in good condition
- Signed and inscribed copies with provenance
- Bindings tight with no cracked hinges
Common faults and fakes
Book-club editions and later printings sold as firsts, usually without intent. The copyright page settles it.
Ask for a photograph of the copyright page and the spine, and ask directly whether there is any musty smell. An honest seller will say.
WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or grade anything, and no marketplace check replaces your own. If a seller will not answer a direct question about condition or origin, that is the answer.
Questions to ask the seller
These are the three that get asked most often about rare books, and the answers tell you most of what you need:
Show the copyright page rather than explaining. Serious book buyers read the evidence themselves and prefer it that way.
Disclose everything you know about, including previous owners’ repairs. Undisclosed restoration is the most damaging discovery in this market.
Open it gently at the middle and check the hinges. A cracked hinge is a real condition point and buyers grade on it.
Also worth establishing before you commit:
- Check the copyright page for edition and printing statements
- Confirm whether the dust jacket is present and price-clipped
- Open the covers and check the hinges are sound
Photographs to ask for
If the listing does not already show these, ask — a seller who has the item will send them in minutes:
- The book closed, front board, straight on
- The title page and copyright page, fully legible
- The spine, hinges and board edges
- Any inscription, bookplate, foxing, tear or previous repair
Details to confirm before you commit
- Title, author, publisher, place and year
- Edition and printing, with photographic evidence
- Binding type and whether the jacket or slipcase is present
- Full condition report including hinges, foxing, inscriptions and any restoration
Live rare books listings
Nothing matching is listed at the moment. Browse books for what is live now, or everything on the site — stock changes daily and new listings are free to post, so it is worth checking back.
When to buy
Sells to a specialist audience whenever the right buyer appears, which can take weeks or months. Patience is worth more than discounting here — the pool is small but motivated.
Prices move against that cycle for a buyer: the cheapest time to buy is when sellers are listing most, not when demand peaks.
Paying and collecting safely
WishThrift does not process payments, hold funds or offer buyer protection — you agree the price and the method with the seller directly, which is what keeps the platform free on both sides. Meet somewhere public where you can, inspect before you pay, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed. Be wary of any seller who wants to move the conversation elsewhere before you have agreed anything.
Selling one instead?
If you already have rare books sitting unused, it is free to list and there is no commission — the price you agree is the amount you keep. Read how to sell rare books for what to photograph and how to price, or what rare books are worth at each condition grade.
Frequently asked questions
What should I pay for used rare books?
Around £13 to £195 in good condition, more for barely-used examples and less for anything with a described fault. Compare against the seller’s photographs rather than the grade alone.
How do I check rare books before buying?
Ask for a photograph of the copyright page and the spine, and ask directly whether there is any musty smell. An honest seller will say.
Is buying rare books second hand safe?
Yes, with the ordinary care any private sale needs. WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or hold funds, so inspect before you pay where you can, meet somewhere public, and keep the conversation on the site. Damp, which spreads to whatever you shelve beside it and cannot be reversed. Then edition — a later printing described loosely as a first.
See also: all buying guides · rare books value guide · selling rare books · Books · condition grades.