They do it ALL the time, that’s something that really bothers me. They prey on ignorance.
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I purchased a few first editions under the assumption they were also first printings only to receive later printings of the first edition. Not an enjoyable experience. If this happens to anyone else I suggest raising your concerns to the seller and/or platform which the transaction went through. These are critical details that correspond directly to price and it’s more than just the amount, there is opportunity cost of purchasing something that is not exactly as described. For example, I purchased a book that was not as described and those funds were tied up on an item that isn’t accurate when they could have been used towards collecting an item more accurate to its description. This is definitely a pet peeve of mine, sellers being misleading on purpose. My budget is quite modest so it’s impacting to my ability to collect when these instances occur.
I think sometimes it’s just an oversight and not on purpose, but if capitalizing on a high end price due to these distinctions a proper due diligence should be done. Especially if selling books and such are their products, they should know better if charging premium prices. And like you mention, many already do and are purposely deceitful. I have a big heart and like to give the benefit of the doubt to most, but my experience collecting has shown that often people purposely omit damage and leave the inconvenience of a return as a way to deter refunds. I have no sympathy for these types of sellers but feel genuinely bad for the sellers who accidentally make the mistakes and it causes them the inconvenience. Intent is important to me.
I’d like to learn how to start adding pictures and such to contribute a bit more visually. I’ll read up on adding pictures and hope to contribute more to the spirit of this topic. Much love
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I have a hard time liking comments that talk about things I don’t like or agree with, but in this instance I like it because you’re making mention of it to being awareness. Respect! Dark can not exist with light shining onto it. Much love
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I have come across Worth Point often when Googling titles but I haven’t registered to utilize the services. It’s free yeah? I’ve been meaning to check it out in more depth. Thanks for the link and friendly reminder. Also want to get on Library Thing!
And I check ALL the time with many saved eBay searches. Most of the items that I miss, I “miss” them while helping out a friend or something like that. It’s sort of tragically beautiful. Saw a copy of LaValle’s Hashish sell recently, a week or so ago, for under $100 with free shipping and the condition was listed as very good! I paid quite a bit more for my copy and still feel like I got a deal. Learning to see better deals and feel happy for others instead of feeling like I missed out is easier said than done for the items that I’ve already collected, but for the items I’m still hoping to acquire it’s a bit more challenging to keep that perspective although it’s getting easier! Finding additional copies for a bargain while being able to level up with respect to condition is the exception, as sometimes I find myself looking for just the dust jacket for a title I have that’s missing the dust jacket or wanting to source a nicer condition copy to replace one in worse condition. I’ve learned so much from you! Much love
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Unfortunately Worthpoint isn’t free, I’ve never registered for it myself, but probably should, at least a trial, but it’s been an invaluable resource for pics and info about rare titles, seems the only thing you have to pay for is the actual price things sold for.
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Free trial sounds good! It looks like a professional and well put together site from the little bit available to see without being a member. With a decent list I think one could get a lot of “worth” and value out of a free membership trial. And as it goes for entertainment, I enjoy this stuff thoroughly so it might just be worth the price of admission.
Did you see the new Indoor Marijuana Horticulture by Cervantes listing come up recently too? I saw it and thought of you, as it said first edition in the title description and listed for I think originally $500 now it’s listed at $250. I totally thought, it has to be a 1st printing as well at that price point. Frantically hurrying to check so I can relay the hopefully good news to you, only to see it’s a third printing. At least there is a picture included of the copyright page for clarification but I totally thought it might be one of the elusive ones. I guess first edition fourth printing doesn’t have as much cache to a listing description than first edition alone does. Not necessarily misleading but without knowing more like from that link you posted yesterday, it could be to the less informed. Still hoping one of the first edition first printings finds itself within your collection soon. Much love
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Yeah, I saw the IMH that got listed, the first edition looks like this, it came in two printings, I’ve managed to nab 4 1st edition 2nd printing’s over the years, I need that 1st really bad.
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Nice one, those are pricey these days, thanks for sharing it! 
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Thanks, I didn’t even know they were worth anything.
It is pretty cool old literature and will remain on the shelf.
Hope you have a great weekend! 
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Dude I’ve been waiting to find one of these for a bargain, they typically come up for sale between $75-$150 these days from what I’ve noticed, do you happen to remember the yard sale price you paid? Totally agree, it’s very cool! You’ve got a great piece of cannabis history. Thanks for sharing it here. Much love
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Touching on looking at past auctions, and hoping one of y’all were able to add it to one of your collections, I saw a copy of the Brotherhood of Eternal Love seed catalog come up for sale recently. It was already sold by the time I saw the listing but thought it was awesome to see it come to market. Gives hope that more may come to market at some point in the future as well. So many items I think won’t ever come to market for sale, let alone at a bargain, end up doing just that. Remembering the helpful advice by @buckaroobonsai to have patience. The universe will bring the literature to me in the ways it’s meant to be. Feeling less anxious about missing out and more hopeful about abundance. Much love
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Really that much? Thats wild.
I left the tag on it from when I first picked it up. It’s been on a shelf ever since. I got it for 10$.
Hope you have a great week! 
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I dig the little price tag that you left on, it gives it such character. Hope you have a wonderful week yourself! Thank you for the kind words. Much love
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Ooooh goddamn, nice one.
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I put my Cultivators Handbook collection in an album today, I really like being able to peruse them, fronts and backs without worrying about damaging them, something like this should always be stored flat.
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Speaking of unscrupulous booksellers, I just had a bad experience buying what was clearly listed as a 1st printing along with clear photos of the publishing info, here is the book in question…
So I purchased it and included my customary message asking for good packing for shipping.
A few days later the book arrived, the first thing I noticed was that the cheesy ass bubble mailer was beat to fuck, open it up and see that the book is in there completely unprotected, and it is damaged.
I was so upset about the damage and lack of give a fuck that at first I didn’t even realize that this wasn’t the book I ordered at all, it was a revised first printing from 1987, I didn’t bother with pics of it before I sent it back but it looks like this… I sent the seller a message and they said if I sent it back they would send the right copy…and in a box no less.
So at this point I’m speculating on the intricacies of this situation which I have been in before, and my guess is that the story will be… “Oh sorry, I must have mixed them up and sold the other one at some point.” So then, as sure as shit, I get a refund overnight with a message that says that exact thing. Now maybe it was just a mixup, but I am more inclined to believe that he didn’t have any intention of giving up that book from the beginning, and regardless of the printing issue which I’m very suspicious of, the packing sucked and showed a total disregard for the book and the customer.
Phoebe creek books has listed quite a few collectible cannabis related books recently on EBay, use caution dealing with this seller.
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Those binders are great, reminds me of being a kid with a baseball card collection filling up the sleeves. You’re so right about how to better store the soft covers flat rather than vertically where they’re more likely to become misshapen.
It’s also quite unfortunate to hear of your experience with the first edition first printing mix-up and appreciate the heads up with that seller. The quick refund is nice, but there is still time and opportunity lost at your expense. What I find especially frustrating is these types of mistakes happening and their frequency due to sellers becoming overwhelmed with listings, and as a result quality control begins to dwindle. At the time and expense of the customer. I can relate to your frustrations.
Recently ordered a first edition first printing from another seller only to receive a much more recent reprint. It’s a bit my own doing though I suppose as I’m a bit superstitious about not counting my chickens before they hatch so to speak and I typically don’t like talking about books I’ve ordered untill they’ve been received because of instances in the past where I’ve gotten my hopes up expecting one item only to receive something else. So I don’t want to jinx it by talking about them prematurely. That said, I was so excited about this title I let it slip in casual conversation that I found a book I’ve been looking for, a grail of sorts, only to have the newer reprint arrive a few days later. It was such a bummer and a reminder at the same time. Did you see the new Jack Herer OMI papers listing? It’s a second printing I believe. Saw a book in another genre where instead of the first printing it said “Family Printing” or something like that. Thought it was especially rad. Have been wanting to add a copy of BOG’S book to my collection but only see one reseller with the more recent softcover version, the non spiral type. Have been thinking of making use of the available PDF via the BOG’s and SHN to have my own hardcover copy made for my collection. Hope all of the fellow collectors are finding some stuff you really enjoy. Much love
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