Autographed Copies Poll

[rolanni]

As some of you may know (we didn't, until it was pointed out to us by an Alert Reader), Baen has decided to release two editions of some top-line 2012 books: A regular, unsigned copy at The Usual Price Point ($22 - $24); and a limited-to-1000-copy signed edition for $30. These editions would be released simultaneously and be available equally through all vendors, including Amazon.com and BN. This would effect books by David Weber, John Ringo, Larry Correia, and Lee-and-Miller.

I'm curious how readers might feel about the price difference between the signed and unsigned editions. When we were signing hardcover preorders for Meisha Merlin, back in the day, there was no extra charge for our signatures, so personally I'm rather. . .non-plussed by this new scheme. I do know that Very Special Editions -- such as slip-cased editions, or illustrated editions -- command higher prices, and rightly so, but it just seems. . .wrong to charge people for ink.

So! What do you think?


[Poll #1793777]

Comments

[brock-tn.livejournal.com]

In theory, a signed copy of a work is more valuable upon resale than an unsigned copy. Viewing prices for signed books at a site which can distinguish between the two, (like Bookfinder.com,) would seem to support the theory.

That having been said, I don't buy books as investments. I buy them because I want to read them. For authors I care about, having a signed copy makes owning the book a little more meaningful to me, and in those cases I would not object to paying a little extra for the signatures. Of course, at present I'm well able to afford paying a little extra. When I was an impecunious student, hardcover books were an unaffordable luxury, and paying extra for an autographed copy would have been unthinkable.

In this case, I am presuming that Baen will pass on a portion of the price increases to the authors. If they were not going to do so, I would be very much against this scheme. As I've said elsewhere, increasing the amount of money that authors get from their writing seems to encourage them to write more. I'm in favor of that.