A typical nancy drew book was about 2 inches thick in 1941 and 1942. In the original nancy drew series, she was 16, then in a later version, 18. The first nancy drew book was published in 1930 on the 28th of april with the release of the secret of the old clock. Ten rarest nancy drew books and collectibles series books for girls. Nov 19, 2018 nancy drew book, the quest of the missing map, carolyn keene, mystery stories, vintage 1960s, 1942. Jul 22, 2012 nancy drew s the quest of the missing map, 1942 first edition with the original dust jacket. Book very good, previous owners name on front pastedown. 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 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.
Nancy drew mystery stories values and collecting tips. Nancy drew collecting, buying, and selling information. 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. It has the blue cover with the orange printing and the orange and. Despite the ambiguity of their provenance, the nancy drew books were so popular, and important to so. Publishing in wartime ww2 paper restrictions american. 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. Judy was also unique in that halfway through the series, she married something series book heroines rarely, if ever, did. 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. The whole world can read nancy drew books, just for a very exciting adventure, kind of scary, good, good book. 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. 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. The secret of the old clock illustrated by russell tandy in print.
The quest of the missing map is the nineteenth volume in the nancy drew mystery stories series. The clues in the mysteries are easy to remember, so some readers will solve the mystery before the clue crew does. The judy bolton mystery series, created by margaret sutton, follows a realistic young woman who solves mysteries. Tweed nancy drew books with jackets have fallen sharply in value because the supply now far exceeds the demand. Nancy drew, first edition abebooks passion for books. If there is one single thing that is a make or break for book value, it would be the. Series book values collapsed in late 2008 and have never recovered. It was first published in 1943 under the pseudonym carolyn keene. 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. The quest of the missing map nancy drew, book 19 20th book, originally published 1943. More than likely, its worth very little due to the fact that the bobbsey twins are not a very collectable series.
S ince her introduction in april of 1930, the nancy drew books have never been out of print. In september 2018 it was announced the cw television network is developing a new television drama based on the book series. Buyers of vintage nancy drew books usually seek books that have the original 25 chapter texts. The actual author was ghostwriter mildred wirt benson plot. Now, more books are available than people who want them, so the books are much harder to sell. Nancy drew book club editions with a possible anomaly. Nancy drew book club editions with a possible anomaly i purchased a bulk lot of nancy drew books which arrived today. 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. Nancy drew starter set by carolyn keene, hardcover. 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 is a great mystery, and the best part is that everyone can read nancy drew. 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. Buying and selling nancy drew books is a big business on ebay. The quest of the missing map 19 by carolyn keene 1942, hardcover at the best. 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. However, thinner paper was used over time so that by 1945 the books were only about 1 inch thick. Auction values tend to be at about 50% of moderate retail, so it is a book with value. The clue in the jewel box nancy drew, book 20 21st book, originally published 1944. Series book values collapsed in late 2008 and have. The character of nancy drew ghostwritten and credited to the pseudonymous carolyn keene. It was first published in 1942 under the pseudonym carolyn keene. I found the phrase ten rarest nancy drew books as a search term that led someone to this blog. The actual author was ghostwriter mildred wirt benson plot summary.
It was first published in 1951 under the pseudonym carolyn keene. The books have orange silhouette endpapers and four glossy internal illustrations. Everything you need to know or want to know is here. For cliffhanging suspense and thrilling action read the nancy drew mystery storiesthe worlds most popular mystery series for young readers. 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.
The clue of the black keys is the twentyeighth volume in the nancy drew mystery series. Confessions of a nancy drew collector antique trader. Only by 1949 was good paper being used on the juvenile series books. Nancy drew complete series set, books 164 hardcover october 11, 2006.
An antique dealers revelation about a former queens priceless heirloom leads nancy on a series of exciting yet dangerous adventures. 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. Parents need to know that carolyn keenes nancy drew and the clue crew series is a great mystery series for young readers. Nancy drew values and collecting tips this page gives information on how to determine the value of your nancy drew books. The clue in the jewel box is the twentieth volume in the nancy drew mystery stories series. Nancy drew book, the quest of the missing map, carolyn keene. The secret of the old clock by carolyn keene 1942c 41st. The estimated values in the table are for first edition books with dust jackets. Nancy drew books 110 box set the nancy drew mystery stories collection. Examples in rough shape have sold for several thousand dollars. Since that time tom has served as director of americana auctions. 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 book and the dust jacket have light damp staining to the. Nancy drew the key in the satin pocket by carolyn keene and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. 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. The mystery at the mosscovered mansion nancy drew, book 18 19th book, originally published 1942. One glossy illustration occurs before the title page, and the remaining three are scattered throughout the text of the book. It also has some good information for collectors who are just getting started. The nancy drew starter set is the perfect gift for aspiring detectives, or longtime fans of the series. The secret of the old clock illustrated by bill gillies in print. 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. The nancy drew books are an iconic mystery series about a teenage sleuth who solves crimes. Dont let a few small mistakes erode the value of your growing book collection. The queen of the ghostwriters is carolyn keene or rather. 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. 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. First edition, second printing according to farahs guide. 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. Terry scott went to river heights to ask the help of carson drew to help him to find dr. A second method is to find the online listings of actual nancy drew collectors. Good with some age toning and speckling on front board in a very good dj with mild edgewear. Nancy drews the quest of the missing map, 1942 first. New buyers need to understand that many sellers are uninformed about the books that they have up for sale and often make incorrect statements. These nancy drew books are not of high value and we would not offer them at auction. The actual authors were ghostwriters wilhelmina rankin and harriet stratemeyer adams plot summary. 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.