My interesting book finds this weekend.

[Kat45]

Saturday was the day our local senior center has their annual yard sale and it's always fun to check it out. I've often found interesting books there, and this year was no exception. I noticed a really old looking book, and when I picked it up I saw that it was a copy of "Last of the Mohicans" by J.F. Cooper, published in 1905 by Stitt Publishing Company. Inside the front cover was stamped "Baker University English Department" in scroll-type writing. I googled the school, and apparently it's the oldest university in Kansas. Inside the back cover was a pocket, I guess for the index card, which was not there. Then on the opposite page a piece of paper was attached where someone wrote their name, "F. Lewis" and a list of several dates were stamped, which I assume are dates that the book was taken out? The oldest date was in 1928, with the most recent being in 1956. (Someone also wrote a few things in pencil on the inside back cover.) The book is not in great shape, but it's not bad for a book that old that was a library book. Probably not worth anything, but I found it pretty interesting.
Edited to add: there is also an illustration on the cover of the book as well as one on the spine.

I also got a hardcover copy of "Lyndon Johnson & the American Dream" by Doris Kearns. I found that interesting because it was her first book and apparently she hadn't started going by "Doris Kearns Goodwin" yet, though she was already married to Richard Goodwin. I also found an interesting little paperback called "The Kennedy Wit," which includes lots of pictures.

Perhaps nothing worth anything monetarily, but a lot of fun finds nonetheless.

[Vinca]

1. You never know about books, although the market seems to have changed

significantly with ebay. I'd like to strangle the sellers that put books on for one cent. Sometimes a first edition of an author's first book can have some value - you should check out the Doris Kearns book. I also hit upon a few books at a church sale. One was the first edition, first printing of "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" in mint condition. Also a first edition of "Roots" and a limited edition history of Virginia signed by the author. I've sold the "Roots" book before for about $50, but don't know about the others.

[democraticinsurgent]

2. Amazon is probably better for books

...though there are lots of .01 sellers there too. What's up with that? How can that work for any seller?

Cool finds, though, and thanks for sharing.

[eleny]

3. Maybe the one cent sales boost their positive ratings

[justabob]

5. Amazon is ok

The penny sellers are ridiculous there too. I have only ever bought a few things off ebay, never books and I haven't sold there, but Amazon is very simple to use and easy to work with. On the amazon forums it is clear that there are a lot of people switching over to Amazon from ebay fwiw.

[InvisibleTouch]

4. I love really old books.

Even if they're not on a topic I'm personally interested in, and even if I can't allocate them space on my bookshelf, just the very idea of holding a book printed more than a century ago is wonderful to me. I've had a few of them pass through my hands, and was always surprised that there wasn't particularly high demand for them. But then none were famous titles.

[democraticinsurgent]

6. I'm the same way

It amazes me how little old books are worth. They can't be that plentiful, but I guess they are, relative to the demand.

I still pick up way too many books for exactly the same reason as you--it feels good to hold something that was printed long ago.