Much of the value of collectible hardcover books can be found in the condition of the dust jacket.

Dust jackets from the 1920s and later were often decorated in art deco styles which are highly prized by collectors. Some of them are worth far more than the books they cover. The most famous example is the jacket on the first edition of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, published in 1925. Without jacket, the book brings $1,000 or so. With the jacket it can bring $20,000 or $30,000 or more, depending on condition. One copy in a near mint jacket was listed for sale in 2009 for half a million dollars.

Today, a book with a damaged or missing dust jacket is not considered collectible. Few collectors will add these to their shelves.

The best way to preserve the value of a dust jacket is to put them in a “book jacket cover,” also known as a library cover. We use clear acetate jackets with plain white backing produced by Gaylord Bros. No book leaves VJ Books’ door without an acetate jacket cover. We also offer a jacketing service – we put acetate covers on the dust jackets from books from your collection. Just send us your jackets (mailed flat), and we will put them into covers and return them to you. This is an inexpensive way to insure your investment.