Books & media
World Book Encyclopedia set, 1978, complete 22 volumes
Complete encyclopedia sets from the 1970s sell mostly as decor, staging props or nostalgia rather than as reference. A full matching set in clean condition sells locally; anything damp, musty or incomplete is close to free to a good home.
Estimated resale range (used)
$10 – $45
A ballpark, not a quote. Condition moves this number a lot, and so does who turns up to buy it. It isn't an appraisal and it isn't a dealer's offer.
What matters when you check it
- Confirm the set is complete and every volume matches in binding colour and edition year, because one missing volume sinks it.
- Open a few volumes and smell for damp or mildew, the usual reason sets get refused.
- Check the spines for sun fading, the hinges for cracking, and note whether a family name is stamped inside.
Where the number comes from
Watching what these go for, not a record of sales. The range is a judgement call from what the same thing fetches secondhand. When an item has real sources behind it, they'll be printed here with the date they were checked.
Before you sell anything, look at sold prices rather than asking prices. Asking prices are wishes; sold prices are evidence.