The clue of the black keys is the twentyeighth volume in the nancy drew mystery series. Nancy drew book, the quest of the missing map, carolyn keene. Series book values collapsed in late 2008 and have never recovered. I found the phrase ten rarest nancy drew books as a search term that led someone to this blog. The first nancy drew book was published in 1930 on the 28th of april with the release of the secret of the old clock. An antique dealers revelation about a former queens priceless heirloom leads nancy on a series of exciting yet dangerous adventures. I recommend getting several book store quotes,because i collect doc savage books which seel fer 5 bux or so on ebay or more in book stores. More than likely, its worth very little due to the fact that the bobbsey twins are not a very collectable series. Nancy drew complete series set, books 164 hardcover october 11, 2006. If there is one single thing that is a make or break for book value, it would be the.
The estimated values in the table are for first edition books with dust jackets. One glossy illustration occurs before the title page, and the remaining three are scattered throughout the text of the book. Nancy drew book club editions with a possible anomaly i purchased a bulk lot of nancy drew books which arrived today. The actual authors were ghostwriters wilhelmina rankin and harriet stratemeyer adams plot summary. In 1976 he became a fulltime dealer and auctioneer, and maintained a robust business in political and other collectors items until his company, slaters americana, was absorbed by heritage in 2004. Nancy drew book club editions with a possible anomaly. Now, more books are available than people who want them, so the books are much harder to sell. The character of nancy drew ghostwritten and credited to the pseudonymous carolyn keene. It has the blue cover with the orange printing and the orange and. Following this an industry was born and it hasnt stopped since, as young people worldwide have flocked around the franchise with its ever relatable central character. For cliffhanging suspense and thrilling action read the nancy drew mystery storiesthe worlds most popular mystery series for young readers. During the 1990s, far more people were buying nancy drew books for their collections, so the values were always high.
When i was a girl, every christmas i got nancy drew mystery books. Nancy drew books 110 box set the nancy drew mystery stories collection. The childrens picturebook price guide includes first edition identification points for twentynine of the books in the list click on the book s title to see first edition identification points for a particular book. Find great deals on ebay for the quest of the missing map 1942. The judy bolton mystery series, created by margaret sutton, follows a realistic young woman who solves mysteries. Nancy drew starter set by carolyn keene, hardcover. The character of nancy drew ghostwritten and credited to the pseudonymous carolyn keene has appeared in a number of series over the years 533 nancy drew books have been published as of 2019, in nine series, as follows. Since that time tom has served as director of americana auctions. Ten rarest nancy drew books and collectibles series books for girls. Publishing in wartime ww2 paper restrictions american. The mystery at the mosscovered mansion nancy drew, book 18 19th book, originally published 1942. A second method is to find the online listings of actual nancy drew collectors. Nancy drew, first edition abebooks passion for books. The nancy drew books are an iconic mystery series about a teenage sleuth who solves crimes.
Nancy drew mystery stories values and collecting tips. New buyers need to understand that many sellers are uninformed about the books that they have up for sale and often make incorrect statements. However, thinner paper was used over time so that by 1945 the books were only about 1 inch thick. The secret of the old clock illustrated by russell tandy in print. Although the series was not quite as popular as nancy drew, judy bolton has been called a more complex and believable role model for girls. The quest of the missing map 19 by carolyn keene 1942, hardcover at the best. Nov 19, 2018 nancy drew book, the quest of the missing map, carolyn keene, mystery stories, vintage 1960s, 1942. The first nancy drew book, 1930s the secret of the old clock, was ghostwritten by mildred wirt, who penned 23 nancy drew titles as carolyn keenethe same pseudonym used today. Tweed nancy drew books with jackets have fallen sharply in value because the supply now far exceeds the demand. For people who are not very familiar with collecting nancy drew, be aware that the book or collectible has to be exactly like what i mention.
I decided to list some of the rarest nancy drew books and collectibles. The first nancy drew book, 1930s the secret of the old clock, was ghostwritten by mildred wirt, who penned 23 nancy drew titles as carolyn. Book very good, previous owners name on front pastedown. The queen of the ghostwriters is carolyn keene or rather. This is where we discuss your favorite vintage series books from nancy drew and the hardy boys to trixie belden and the three investigators to all other similar vintage series books. The clue in the jewel box nancy drew, book 20 21st book, originally published 1944. S ince her introduction in april of 1930, the nancy drew books have never been out of print. Dont let a few small mistakes erode the value of your growing book collection. Nancy drew values and collecting tips this page gives information on how to determine the value of your nancy drew books. Jul 22, 2012 nancy drew s the quest of the missing map, 1942 first edition with the original dust jacket.
Auction values tend to be at about 50% of moderate retail, so it is a book with value. While the character has undergone numerous iterations throughout the years, nancy drew has been cited as an important part of the literary and cultural landscape and an inspiration to many women, notably sandra day oconnor, sonia sotomayor, and hillary clinton. Buyers of vintage nancy drew books usually seek books that have the original 25 chapter texts. These nancy drew books are not of high value and we would not offer them at auction. In the original nancy drew series, she was 16, then in a later version, 18. The book and the dust jacket have light damp staining to the.
Buttttttttt,,they will always lowball u and i have never had 1 honest bookstore give me an actual quote of what theyre worth try looking at private collectors or any online site where the competition is even. The whole world can read nancy drew books, just for a very exciting adventure, kind of scary, good, good book. Nancy drew collecting, buying, and selling information. Nancy investigates a small ship cottage at the chatham estate and discovers a connection between the mysterious occurrences at the cottage and an island where a. In september 2018 it was announced the cw television network is developing a new television drama based on the book series. Despite the ambiguity of their provenance, the nancy drew books were so popular, and important to so. A typical nancy drew book was about 2 inches thick in 1941 and 1942. For people who are not very familiar with collecting nancy drew, be aware that the book or collectible has to be exactly like what i. Terry scott went to river heights to ask the help of carson drew to help him to find dr. The secret of the old clock illustrated by bill gillies in print. First edition, second printing according to farahs guide.
It was first published in 1943 under the pseudonym carolyn keene. The quest of the missing map nancy drew, book 19 20th book, originally published 1943. Everything you need to know or want to know is here. Examples in rough shape have sold for several thousand dollars. The clues in the mysteries are easy to remember, so some readers will solve the mystery before the clue crew does. For a skinner rare book were looking for books that have a higher minimum auction value, so this book wouldnt be appropriate for auction, but it is a really nice book. Nancy drews the quest of the missing map, 1942 first. Buying and selling nancy drew books is a big business on ebay. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. It was first published in 1951 under the pseudonym carolyn keene. Nancy drew the key in the satin pocket by carolyn keene and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Series book values collapsed in late 2008 and have.
The best way to see if a nancy drew book might have value is to run a search on ebay, select sold, then view the results. The clue in the jewel box is the twentieth volume in the nancy drew mystery stories series. Only by 1949 was good paper being used on the juvenile series books. Nancy drew was the invention of edward stratemeyer, founder of the stratemeyer syndicate, which also produced the hardy boys, tom swift and bobbsey twins book. The actual author was ghostwriter mildred wirt benson plot summary. The quest of the missing map is the nineteenth volume in the nancy drew mystery stories series. Nancy drew fans will enjoy the nancy drew sleuth unofficial website, which is devoted to the sleuth, her books, and her timeless quality that endures throughout the ages. The actual author was ghostwriter mildred wirt benson plot. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. Nancy drew books taught me many new words, which i did not know before. Confessions of a nancy drew collector antique trader. It was first published in 1942 under the pseudonym carolyn keene. There are some exceptionsprintings or editions which still bring a decent amount of money, but even those values have significantly decreased over the past 10 years, due to markets. Good with some age toning and speckling on front board in a very good dj with mild edgewear.