This page was partly inspired by Tomas Krynsky's Stephen King Collector website. We are not going to estimate values of the books, as there are too many variables and they fluctuate too often for us to keep up. We are going to provide as much detail as we can about what books are out there, which ones are really popular, how available are they, what to look for and what to look out for. There are three general categories, limited editions, first printings, and proofs and other special printings.

Cautions and Caveats#

If you are new to book collecting and are interested in getting started, please see the Cautions and Caveats section for some help on avoiding novice pitfalls.

Limited Editions#

Beginning with The Shadow Rising, Tor has published signed, numbered limited editions of the Wheel of Time™ books. These limited editions come out at about the same time as the trade hardcovers. These books are bound in forest green leather(ette) and come in a slipcover instead of a dust jacket. The dust jacket artwork is reproduced on separate pages on the interior. There is also a limitation page describing the edition. This page is individually numbered and signed by Robert Jordan (or Brandon Sanderson for the final three books). The numbered books are sold to the public through specialty bookstores. An even smaller number are lettered and are retained by Tor to distribute to the Jordan family, the artists and other industry insiders. The numbered copies retail for $150.00 to $250.00, but they sell out immediately and can only be purchased on the secondary market.

The Shadow Rising#

100 numbered, 25 lettered, list price $200.00

The Fires of Heaven#

150 numbered, 25 lettered, list price $200.00

In addition to the numbered and lettered copies, a small number were released without a slip cover and missing the limitation page. These were released without Jordan's signature, but many were later signed on the title page at bookstore signings.

Lord of Chaos#

200 numbered, 25 lettered, list price $200.00

A Crown of Swords#

175 numbered, 25 lettered, list price $200.00

The Path of Daggers#

175 numbered, 25 lettered, list price $200.00

Winter's Heart#

150 numbered, 52 lettered, list price $250.00

Crossroads of Twilight#

150 numbered, 52 lettered, list price $200.00

Knife of Dreams#

150 numbered, 52 lettered, list price $250.00

The Gathering Storm#

100 numbered, 26 lettered, list price $250.00

Towers of Midnight#

125 numbered, 26 lettered, list price $250.00

A Memory of Light#

list price $299.00

New Spring: The Novel#

150 numbered, 52 lettered, list price $150.00

Legends#

The Holy Grail of Jordan collectibles. Tor also issued a signed limited numbered edition of Legends.

200 numbered, 50 lettered, list price $250.00

Legends was signed by all eleven authors including Stephen King. Because of the broad fan base versus the small number of copies (most Stephen King limited editions run 750 to 1500 copies), it is one of most highly sought of all recently published limited editions and it bears an appropriately impressive price tag.

First Printings#

To start, there is a difference between a first edition and a first printing. Go here for more information.

The Eye of the World#

The second most desirable Jordan collectible is the first printing hardcover of The Eye of the World. It comes in two different states. Tor originally published The Eye of the World as a trade paperback. They had an additional limited printing, 1500 or 2500 according to different sources, of hardcovers intended for libraries. When sales took off, Tor rebound a comparable number of the trade paperbacks as hardcovers. The original hardcovers and rebound tpbs are respectively known as first state and second state. The easiest way to tell the difference is to examine the binding at the spine. The original hardcover has glued signatures (folded bundles of sixteen pages) while the rebound trade paperbacks have a smooth edge with an additional paper backing. In a practical sense it does not matter a great deal, as both states command comparable prices in the marketplace.

If you are considering a purchase, here are some points to check. Make sure the copyright page is correct. There should be a full number line reading 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 at the bottom. Book club editions have no number line and are often smaller than the standard 9" × 6¾". Also, make sure the book comes with a first state dust jacket. The original book came with a price tag of $24.95. At some later point Tor changed the dust jacket to reflect a higher price of $27.95. Is the dust jacket price clipped? Just check the bar code on the back!

A key distinguishing point is the text font on the spine. Only the first printing has the open font shown on the left. All later printings were done with the solid font shown on the right.

The Great Hunt#

The first printing of The Great Hunt is almost as rare as The Eye of the World. There is only one state for this printing, but do check that the dust jacket is first state. The price should be $22.95, not $24.95 or $27.95.

The Dragon Reborn#

The rarity and value drops way down for the first printing of The Dragon Reborn, though the book is still collectible. The dust jacket price should be $22.95, not $24.95. An even later dust jacket bears the price of $29.95 and has a "The New York Times Bestseller" logo.

The Shadow Rising#

The first printing of The Shadow Rising is uncommon and collectible. There is only one state for this printing, but do check that the dust jacket is first state. The price should be $24.95. Also, see the pictures. A second state dust jacket appeared on later printings with "The New York Times Bestseller" logo. A third state dust jacket has a printed price of $27.95.

The Fires of Heaven#

The first printing of The Fires of Heaven is also uncommon and collectible. There is only one state for this printing, but do check that the dust jacket is first state. The price should be $24.95.

Later Books#

Starting with Lord of Chaos, Tor printed an enormous number of books for the first publication. One can occasionally still find first printings on remainder racks. These are only collectible if they are signed.

Orbit Editions#

The first printings of the Orbit editions of The Eye of the World and The Great Hunt are also rare and highly sought after by collectors.

Trade Paperbacks#

Tor printed trade paperback editions of The Eye of the World and The Great Hunt concurrently with the hardcovers. The first printings of these are common, but signed copies are rare particularly if they are in fine condition.

Advance Reading Copies and Proofs#

As most publishers do, Tor sends out advance copies of their books to reviewers ahead of public release. These books come in two forms, Advance Reading Copies and uncorrected proofs. Advance Reading Copies are the more polished form. They have been copyedited and come with a nice, glossy cover that often bears the artwork of the hardcover or trade paperback. Uncorrected proofs, as the name implies, are the first bound version. They come with a plain cover and often are printed before copyediting is complete.

Tor printed 5000 Advance Reading Copies (ARCs) of The Eye of the World as a promotion for the series. For the later books they distributed proofs. All are considered collectible, especially if they are signed.

Other#

The Blue Promo#

In 1994, Tor reprinted the first eighteen chapters of The Eye of the World in paperback form. These were distributed to booksellers to be given away free as a promotion for the Wheel of Time™ series. Despite dealers' hype, this book is one of the most common collectibles. In an interview Tom Doherty stated that they printed 1,000,000 copies! It shows up on eBay and Abebooks weekly and can be purchased for a few dollars.

The Red Promo#

In 1996, Tor reprinted the first eighteen chapters again. This time the book was marketed for 99¢ and included a coupon for a one dollar rebate against the purchase of The Eye of the World. Shortly after publishing, Tor had second thoughts and most of these books were destroyed. The Red Promo is one of the rarest Jordan collectibles.

The Aqua Promo#

This one does not really qualify as collectible, as it sells in second hand stores for less than two dollars, but for the sake of completeness we list it here. In 2000, Tor reissued the full version of The Eye of the World as a promotion. It bears the same cover design as the 1996 red book, but with an aqua background. It sold for $3.99 and included a coupon for a rebate on the purchase of The Great Hunt.

Non-Wheel of Time Books#

There is an active market for Jordan's Conan and Fallon books, but they are not in high demand unless they are signed. Even signed they can typically be purchased for not much over cover price. See the Non-Wheel of Time Bibliography.

That is about all we know. If you have any more detailed information on any of these topics please, please share with us!