Collecting on a Shoestring:
The Treasures of Used Bookstores
by Andrew G. Black

I have to admit: I've got an obsession--a fixation with scouring used bookstores and finding copies of rare books by Joe Dever. It is something I take seriously and yet have a great deal of fun with. Primarily I do this to have premium quality US books and to trade for UK Lone Wolf editions. The challenge of finding Joe Dever's books at used bookstores is just as fulfilling as it was over fifteen years ago when Lone Wolf first came out.

There are many benefits to visiting used bookstores: it costs a fraction to create and upgrade a collection versus buying from retail stores, and extra books can be used to trade for UK editions of Lone Wolf books. More than fifty books have passed through my hands to other collectors in the US and internationally. To do this, I’ve visited more than one hundred used bookstores in Ohio and Minnesota.

Since the focus of this article is about obtaining the most desirable US editions of Joe Dever's book, the UK editions aren’t considered here. It may seem that I am alienating the non-American readers, but this article is useful for anyone who wants to gain knowledge of what books are rare in the US and worth trading for. Anyone who wants to may write an article describing the availability of Joe Dever's books in their area and submit it to the e-Zine.

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