I don't normally bother with Clancy but I found a Naval Institute edition of "Hunt for Red October". The ebay results are puzzling. There have been a few 1st/1st books listed, trying to get extravagant amounts. This is the 7th printing. Someone has been trying without success to sell this printing. But that's about it, no dozens of copies like I found when I did a search for "Sum of All Fears".
So...any idea if it's worth listing just because it's his first book? Or does the 7th printing indicate that there are boatloads of copies out there? Then why aren't more of them on ebay?
posted on June 26, 2001 11:43:52 PM new
I was going to dash off a quick answer to your question - but after thinking a few minutes I realize the answer is not simple. Consider these factors: a first of HUNT is worth $ 700, a first of RED STORM RISING (2nd book) is worth $50, firsts of the rest of his books - zip. The price differences are because of the quantities available. The third and later books were produced in enormous quantities - like 250,000 copies each. Some people might have the opinion that the first two are better, are rereadable, are the two you'd keep if you were going to have a yard sale. In any event, later printings of HUNT are of little value - you can buy one brand new that looks just like the first edition at Borders for $25 list price.
posted on June 27, 2001 09:06:03 AM new
About "Hunt for Red October". I believe the reason the first edition is so collectable is because it's the first fiction book that Navel Institute Press ever published and only a few thousand copies were printed, many of which ended up in public libraries. And also ex president Reagan mentioned that he liked reading Tom Clancy's books and all of a sudden the prices for first editions of "Hunt" shot up through the roof.
Now of course those prices are only for the 1st printing of the first edition in fine condition. Actually the prices are coming down on that book. I remember some people asking over a thousand for it a few years ago.
Collecting modern first editions is like investing the the stock market, one day the book in question in worth a few hundred dollars and three years later you would be lucky to get $25.00 for it.
As for your 7th printing, recently I sold a early printing of "Hunt" on ebay and only got about $10.00 for it.
So there is nothing special about the 7th printing.
