Estimating value of donated Go books

[Tanana]

The Seattle Go Center has recently received several large donations of used Go books. This is good. We will put most of them in our lending library, while adding the rare ones to our reference library. Books that are common, but in very good condition, may be kept for prizes.

We need to provide an estimate of the value of the books to our generous donors, since donations to our 501(c)(3) nonprofit are tax deductible. We also report the donations as part of our "public support" on our annual Form 990 for the IRS.

My questions is: how should we value used Go books that are still available new from distributors such as Kiseido, Yutopian, and Slate and Shell? What percentage of the retail prices would you readers suggest?

[Koosh]

You could take a sample of 10 or more books on Amazon.com and compare the retail price to the mode with regard to available used book prices. Applying that averaged ratio to the retail price of each go book would give you a number and a methodology to back it up.

Curious to see how others would do this, especially since I am not in the book business

[Tanana]

In the past, we have seen some very strange pricing from Amazon partners. They will sometimes list a used Go book as being far more expensive than a new one would cost from Kiseido, etc. That's why I'm asking you guys!

[emeraldemon]

If the books are in good condition, I see no problem just using the list price. I don't think you need to discount the book value for being used.
I am not an accountant however.

[Jujube]

Here's what you do: number one, don't use prices on Amazon, or Barnes & Noble, or Waterstones, or any "general book shop". Their prices are complete nonesense.

Number two, if the book is used, don't use prices on alibris, or abebooks, or any "used book shop". Their pricing is also nonesense.

I have around 45 Go books, some I bought used, some I bought new, some I bought from the UK, some I bought from the US or Japan, some are in English and some are in Japanese.

If the book is out of print, I suggest putting the title in this thread and everyone can come to an agreement over value. If it is in print, I would suggest valuing it at 60% - 90% of the list price stated on the respective publishers' websites, depending on condition. Or you could use a large Go bookshop as the reference price, e.g. Goshop Keima, Pentangle Puzzles, or Schachversand, or some other recognised and trusted seller.

The most valuable book I have in English is probably Appreciating Famous Games which I would value at about $50 for a mint copy. The harder books to value would be the Japanese books. E.g. I have the old copies of Segoe's Tesuji from Seibundo Shinkosha publishers in the late 1970's. If I had to put a "finger in the air" estimate, I'd say probably $25 each.

[DrStraw]

You would be surprised at how much out of print books sell for. About 8 years ago I sold almost all my go books - over 200 of them. Some of the more popular out of print books sold for over $100. Somewhere there is a thread where I published prices I got but I suspect it was on the now-defunct GoDiscussions.

[hyperpape]

If only we had someone on the boards who ran a bookstore...

[gowan]

For books in Japanese you can get a "new" price for in-print books from Amazon.co.jp For out-of-print go books one place to look is at Akashiya Shoten (http://www.akasiya-shoten.com/) They have an inventory list with prices.

[Tanana]

Thanks for your advice, guys. In general, I am now thinking of assigning values for common books in good condition closer to their list price than I was before. I may come back later for help with the uncommon books.
Regards, Brian Allen

[hyperpape]

Forgive me if this is too obvious, but have you read the IRS guidelines on the value of donated books? They're available online, and seem simultaneously easy to read and quite vague. But they do state the limits at which you need to involve a professional appraiser.

[Tanana]

Forgive me if this is too obvious, but have you read the IRS guidelines on the value of donated books?

Good point! I reread them. A while back we had to value a goban, and I was very grateful that the value was well under $5000, so we did not need a professional appraisal to determine its value.