What’s It Worth to Ya? Find Out Online

The ballyhooed sale of a rare Honus Wagner baseball card on EBay is the latest milestone in the ascent of online auctions to public consciousness. What’s less well known is that online auctions like EBay, besides being a convenient place to buy and sell items, also serve as a kind of informal appraisal service.

This appraisal function came to my attention not long ago when I wondered whether a couple of books that I own might actually be worth something.

In the past, about the only way to answer that question would be to inquire with a rare-book dealer. But now, thanks to EBay and similar online auctions, the answer may be as close as your PC.

I had hoped that either my paperback copy of a Jack Kerouac book “Tristessa” or my first-edition hardcover of Norman Mailer’s novel “Advertisements for Myself” might be of interest to collectors.

Alas, a copy of the Kerouac book in even better condition than mine was listed for sale last week at a minimum bid of $1. Even at that, however, there were no bidders.

No one was selling a similar version of the Mailer novel, but a quick check of other Mailer books on sale showed that my copy wasn’t likely to bring more than the $5 that I’d originally paid for it years ago.

Don’t let my experience discourage you, though. You might well have better luck if you check around the house for items that may be valuable or collectible.

One friend of mine, a pinball hobbyist, discovered that two books on his shelf are quite valuable indeed. One, called “Special When Lit,” has sold at various times on EBay for $75 to $120. Another, “Pinball Portfolio,” has drawn bids of $70 to $100.

My friend hasn’t sold these items, mind you. But he was pleased to get a free and easy assessment of their probable value.

Keep in mind that certain items--books and record albums, for example--are relatively easy to value via online auction. But the value of others, especially those in which physical condition is a key factor, can be more difficult to determine. Such is often the case with musical instruments, furniture and sports memorabilia, among other items.

That said, online auctions can offer an easy way to satisfy your curiosity about odds and ends around your house. So check the closets and attic for collectibles, and see what treasures you might uncover.