Rule number one. Know what you have before trying to sell it! Sometimes you already know the cartographer, publisher, date published, place published, area covered, how much it cost you, etc. If so, you are well-armed to proceed to the next step – how much is it worth today.
Specifically, what’s its “Fair Market Value?” The FMV is an estimate of the market value of an item based on what a knowledgeable, willing, and unpressured buyer would probably pay to a knowledgeable, willing, and unpressured seller.
We’ll discuss those two factors – what do you have, and what is it worth.
Suppose you don’t know what you have. How do you find out? Let’s start with “Google” or your favorite browser Type in the first few words of the title.
Rule number two: Do not omit any words; do not add any words; and do not abbreviate any words. If you have a relatively common map, you may be directed to a map dealer or book dealer who has that same map (if you paid attention to Rule number two). You can read about it, compare the two, and learn what one dealer is asking for the map. Make some notes and go on to the next dealer. Soon you will have an idea of a range of “list prices”; that is, the prices dealers hope to get for that same map. The lowest price you find is probably the most you can expect on the retail market. If you can’t find a retail buyer on your own you may have to offer it to a dealer. First, you need to make at least two digital images; one, a view of the entire map and the other a close-up view of the title to show potential buyers. Invariably, the dealer will ask you how much you want for the map. If so, you must be prepared and realistic. Hopefully you have seen one or two advertised for sale; if so, you have some basis for your answer. Of course the dealer won’t pay “retail”. Also, the dealer may have two or three in his (her) stock so is not anxious to add another. If you don’t like his offer, try another dealer. At least you’ve learned something about its value.
Browsers not display the entire contents of every dealer’s stock list or catalog – far from it. Sometimes you have to resort to entering the words “antique map dealer” and reading or searching dozens of dealers’ lists or catalogs yourself. You can learn much about antique map pricing by studying dealer sites, even though your map is not listed.
Learning to value a map without finding pricing in literature or the internet takes apprenticeship and years of experience, so don’t expect dealers to give away what they have learned the hard way. After hearing the title they may suggest you have it appraised. They may even suggest an appraiser or two. Most dealers do not appraise maps because of the time involved and the legal implications.
Map appraisals cost more money than most book appraisals because of the uniqueness of individual maps and the paucity of sales data (except for auctions, most sales are not revealed to the general public; furthermore, many auctions do not offer the common, lower-priced maps). This means you may have to pay one hundred dollars or more per map for individual written appraisals. An appraiser who passes you a note saying your collection has a retail value of $1,000 (20 maps times $50 per map) may not have taken the time to learn that one of them is a map worth $250. Of course, that approach is reasonable if all you have are sheets from commonly available atlases of the mid-to-late 1800s (and you don’t have a highly collectible map).
So – what is your map worth? If, after diligent search (and perhaps tedious search) you haven’t a clue as to its value, send me the images and information you have gained. I might be able to tell about other searches you could make. I might even be able to tell you whether it is worth hundreds of dollars or thousands of dollars. If it turns out you have John Henry’s 1770 map of Virginia, I might suggest you have it appraised.
I no longer perform appraisal and don’t know anyone who does.
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