WHAT IS A PRICE REALIZATION?
A realization is the dollar value for which a book actually sold at some time. It may have sold as part of an in-store purchase, a private sale or an auction. It may have sold separately, as one of several books purchased together, or as part of a collection. Realizations are a valuable resource for collectors and an important pricing component for sellers of collectible books. Indeed, in some cases they are essential, such as valuing a collection for insurance purposes. Without realization data, no substantive basis can be presented for valuation and the result is usually a “best guess” exercise. Asking prices cannot be used with confidence. All it takes is one instance of an absurdly-low asking price to undervalue a book. A historical perspective is needed to make a realistic price appraisal. ABOUT ASKING PRICES Asking prices are often nothing more than a reflection of a particular seller’s mode of business. For example, sellers who have paid little for their books are in a much bett
