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Ever since the Brockhaus Encyclopedia ceased publication, the works have been of immense value to collectors. But how much money can be made from selling them?
This is how much the Brockhaus Encyclopedia is worth
The first Brockhaus was published in 1796. The first edition of the encyclopedia appeared under the title “Conversations-Lexikon mit vorzüglicher Rücksicht auf die gegenwärtigen Zeiten” (Conversation Lexicon with Special Consideration for the Present Times) and is considered the beginning of Brockhaus’s later success.
- This was followed by numerous editions over two centuries, with the 14th to 21st editions being particularly outstanding in terms of editing and design.
- The 21st and last printed edition was published in 2005/2006 with 30 volumes and over 24,500 pages. It marked the end of the classic book form, as the publisher FA Brockhaus shifted its focus to digital formats shortly thereafter.
- The last edition found its way into bookstores in 2005. With such a long period of time, two things are certain: On the one hand, the encyclopedia had a veritable cult status. At the same time, this has a significant impact on the prices at which it is traded. The basic rule is: the older, the better.
- Original editions from the early years are traded individually for up to €1,800. Particularly early editions from the 19th century or complete editions in their original bindings with leather spines typical of the period fetch high collector’s prices. In very good condition, a complete first edition can be worth up to €3,000, while damaged or incomplete copies rarely fetch more than €500. In addition, matching volumes inevitably increase the value.
- In the best case scenario, you can expect to pay up to €5,000 for complete editions. “Special” complete editions also increase the value. These include special editions that were only published in limited quantities. Examples of these can be found in the works of Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1989) and Armin Mueller-Stahl (2007).
- Gold-edged editions with finely gilded book edges and specially designed leather bindings are also among the most sought-after variants. These limited luxury editions were usually only given to loyal subscribers or anniversary customers and often fetch four-figure sums on the collectors’ market. Depending on their condition, prices between €2,000 and €6,000 are realistic.
- Particularly well-preserved complete editions of the Hundertwasser edition in their original box have already fetched over €7,000 in some cases. If these editions are in good condition, maximum prices in the mid four-digit range are possible. The equally extraordinary gold-edged volumes do not quite reach this range.
- Condition plays the most important role in determining value: stains, abrasion, missing dust jackets, or incomplete indexes significantly reduce the price. Flawless binding and complete sets with supplementary volumes or CD-ROM editions (in later editions) also increase the collector’s value considerably.
How to sell Brockhaus editions
This inevitably raises the questions of what to do with old books and what to consider when selling the Brockhaus encyclopedia.
- Antiquarian bookshops are a good first port of call and can also help you determine the value of your books. However, they may charge a sales commission. You can avoid this by selling the books yourself. There are a number of well-known sales platforms available for this purpose, most notably eBay and classified ads.
- Specialized portals such as booklooker.de, ZVAB (Central Directory of Antiquarian Books), or Antiquariate.org are also suitable for reaching collectors directly. For high-quality editions, we recommend a fixed price offer with informative pictures and an exact description—including the year of publication, number of volumes, and serial numbers for limited editions.
- A fair guide can be found by observing completed auctions on eBay, where realistic market values are usually between €200 and €2,000 per set. For older individual volumes, starting bids of €50 are sufficient, while for high-quality pre-war editions or special editions, you can calculate higher starting prices.
- However, you should not simply list the works “blindly,” but rather think about realistic price expectations in advance. Otherwise, you run the risk of being taken advantage of. Alternatively, you have the option of a high starting bid or a fixed price.
- To this end, it is also advisable to observe comparable auctions and find out how much revenue sellers are achieving.
- Thorough research is crucial before the sale. Use the ISBN, year of publication, and edition designation to check which version you have, as new editions or reprints are usually worth significantly less. Take photos of details such as the title pages, the embossed cover, and any signatures to prove the authenticity and condition of the books.
- In summary, when determining the value of a book, you should consider not only its condition, but also its completeness, age, and whether it is a special, i.e., rare edition.
- The most important criteria for determining value are: first edition or special edition, complete set of all volumes, very good to mint condition, original binding, presence of additional materials, and demand on the collectors’ market.
