Most Irish homes typically have corners of the attic jammed with old kids' books, VCR tapes, and CDs.
Well, it’s time to delve into your collection of books because some of them could be worth a fortune.
From classics like To Kill A Mockingbird and Alice in Wonderland to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, some of these classics could earn you a pretty penny.
Here’s a list of titles and the specific editions that could be cash gems online nowadays.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is a book that most households are in possession of, but if you have one of the 500 first editions printed by Bloomsbury in June 1997, your pockets are in for a treat.
According to AbeBooks, the main characteristics of a 1997 first edition first printing are a print line that reads "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1" and the crediting of "Joanne Rowling" not J.K.
The most expensive copy to sell online was in flawless condition and was a 1997 first edition for €31,242.
Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
The story of Winne the Pooh was first published in 1926 by Methuen.
The real money-maker nowadays is if you can dig out a copy signed by Milne or the book's illustrator E.H. Shepard.
However, the condition of the dust jackets heavily influence their value.
Back in 2016, a copy signed by Milne and Shepard, and containing a bookplate displaying Milne's London address sold for €10,007.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Another beloved classic here in Ireland is the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
If you have a September 1964 first edition published by Knopf that's been signed by Dahl, and has a pristine dust jacket - you’ve hit the jackpot.
Only 10,000 copies were printed and they sold out in just four weeks back in 1964.
In 2015, a first edition signed by Dahl in the month of its publication sold for €21,110.
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
The first editions of The Hobbit were published in a bundle of just 1,500 copies in the UK on 21 September 1937 by Allen & Unwin.
These are hard to find and most existing copies are part of collectors' personal libraries around the world.
The novel was an immediate hit from the moment it was published and since the release of Peter Jackson's film adaptations, the interest in Tolkien's work has skyrocketed in recent years.
The most expensive copy to sell online was a 1937 first edition and sold for €54,886 in 2003.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
When this book was first published back in 1865, just 2,000 copies were created with illustrations by John Tenniel.
Tenniel decided he disliked the print quality of the first edition and so after the first 2,000, no more were printed.
This rare edition, sold around the world, has a seven-figure worth today!
For the next edition, 4,000 copies were released in December of 1865 and were dated 1866 - they’re also worth a fortune now.
The most expensive copy to sell online was a Dali copy signed by the artist sold for €16,000 in 2014.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum
The first edition of this classic was published in 1900 by Geo M. Hill but the copyright notice is dated 1899.
This book was first printed with 24 color plates by W.W. Denslow.
The most expensive copy to sell online was a first edition for €7430 and was sold back in 2012.
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Where the Wild Things Are was first published back in 1963, and if you happen to find a copy from that year, you could earn five figures for it.
Even better, if you have a special copy, published by Harper & Row, or have one with Sendak's signature, this will add thousands to the value.
The most expensive copy to sell online was a first edition signed copy and sold in 2021 for €21,110.
