I love collecting books. I don’t always purchase expensive or rare books, but the books I purchase make me happy whenever I read them. Since I began to collect books to read and for reference, I realized there are many books available that are collectable. Some are advertised as collectable while others are not, yet become collectable over time.

I was recently browsing single versions of books I own in collective editions when I found many collectable editions of the books I was looking for. Discovering these collectable editions started to make me think about all the collectable editions I actually love to collect. Since I don’t talk much about collecting books on this blog, I decided to start by writing about my five favorite affordable collector’s editions. Some of the collections are not in print anymore but are still available for purchase for $50 USD or less. (Sometimes less than $30 USD)

Barnes and Noble’s B & N Collectible Editions

If you never heard of the B & N Collectible Editions books, Barnes and Noble, a chain bookstore, sells a collection of hardcover books with unique and beautiful covers. Some are collective works of an author while others are single novels. The titles range between copyright free novels (Such as Little Women and The Count of Monte Cristo) to works currently in print to collections of tales and legends. I really like looking at them, but I really love owning them. The quality of the books is very good, beautiful to look at, and are great for anyone looking for a collectible book without paying a lot of money. They have a nice aesthetic to them, making them a great series of books to collect in order to create a cottage core or dark or light academia inspired library. Also, the collection does go on sale!

 

Puffin in Bloom Collection

The Puffin in Bloom Collection is a collection of copyright free novels published by Puffin Books. The books in the collection have illustrated covers. These covers vary depending on the book, but all the books have flowers, or blooms, on them. The titles include Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Heidi, A Little Princess, and Anne of Green Gables.

 

Harper Muse Laser Cut Cover Editions

The Harper Muse, a publisher of books, sells a collection of classic novels with laser cut covers. The names of these collectable books varies depending on which novel and which version of the cover, but they are all feature beautiful laser cut cover art. The ones I love the most are the Seasons Collection. In this collection, the book titles are divided into four groups inspired by the four seasons. The color scheme of the novels depends on the season as well. There are only 10,000 of each copy made, making them collectable. Even though they are printed in lower quantities, the price point of these books are very affordable for anyone looking for an affordable, entry level book edition to collect. Sadly, some of the season versions are sold out or are currently sold at a higher price than they used to be. Still, I highly recommend looking into them if you’re curious about collecting limited print books!

 

Reprinted Original Illustrations Versions

Out of all the books on this list, the one that is probably the most easiest to find and collect are reprinted novels with original illustrations. Unlike many the collectable editions on this list, these books come with the novel’s original illustrations in the book. If the original illustrations were in color, they will print them in color. The same goes for black and white illustrations. They are more common to find, less costly, and are usually not a limited run print. I am aware of companies that reprint these old books in limited runs, which can be expensive. Still, there are books published with an open run and are more affordable to purchase.

 

Republished Versions With Illustrations By a Well Known Artist

Sometimes, books are published with illustrations by well known artists. This varies depending on the book and how old it is, yet it is something many fans of certain artists love to collect. If you are a fan of a well known artist that illustrated a novel or you want to own one as a collectable, these books make great collectables. Yet, some of these books are hard to find due to popularity and rarity and/or they are very expensive. If you are looking for one of these books, yet want an affordable option and/or want to read it, then purchasing a republished version of the book would be a great alternative. These books are not always available, but when they are, they are quite affordable. I have seen reprinted versions of these kinds of books skyrocket in price if they go out of print. They won’t fetch as much money as an original publication, but it will make the initial investment well worth it.

 

That’s all for now! Thank you for reading!

 

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