Signed Obama Books Going For $2,000, Reagan $900, Clintons $400, O'Reilly and Gingrich Just $25...

Have you ever wondered what the marketplace is asking for a signed, hardcover copy of books by our leading political figures? Well, last night I browsed the collectible versions of a number of such books over at Amazon.com and the results are interesting and occasionally unexpected.

Turns out that no one can come close to President Obama. The average listing for a signed copy of The Audacity of Hope is a staggering $2,000, more than double Ronald Reagan's My Life, which itself remains all alone in second place, and by a considerable margin.

Here are the going rate of signed books by some of the more prominent political figures: 

• President Obama (avg. $2,000): A signed hardcover copy of The Audacity of Hope remains in a class by itself. Presently on Amazon, there are six signed books for sale ranging in price from $1,500 to $2,441, with most listed just a few dollars under $2,000. No one else comes close. Interestingly, a signed copy of Dreams of my Father can be had for as little as $800;
             
• Ronald Reagan (avg. $900): The only signed political book in the same universe as Obama right now is An American Life by former President Ronald Reagan. There are four signed copies available listed for $789, $825, $895, and $1,075. Reagan is in second-place all by himself;
           
• Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, John McCain (avg. $300-$500): If you have a few hundred to spend, you can land a signed copy of My Life by Bill Clinton, Living History by Hillary Clinton, Promises to Keep by Joe Biden, or Keeping Faith by Jimmy Carter, or Faith of my Fathers by John McCain;
          
• Al Gore, George H.W. Bush (avg. $150-$250): For those with a little tighter budget, you can acquire a signed copy of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, or George H.W. Bush's, All The Best George Bush. Also a signed copy of Jimmy Carter's most recent We Can Have Peace In The Holy Land can be had for as low as $100;
           
• Colin Powell, Bill Richardson (avg. $75-100): If you need to stay under $100, you could acquire a signed copy of Bill Richardson's Between Worlds: The Making of an American Life or Colin Powell's My American Journey;
            
• Bill O'Reilly, Newt Gingrich, John Edwards (avg. $25): In the bargain basement category, signed copies of Bill O'Reilly's The O'Reilly Factor, Newt Gingrich's Lessons Learned The Hard Way, or John Edwards' Four Trials for just $25. Sadly, that's also the list price for all three books, so the autograph is essentially for free.

Since Sarah Palin has not penned a book, we have no measuring stick. But given the right-wing excitement for her, I would suspect she'd be in the McCain category.

As for surprises, I was startled by the disparity between President Obama and President Reagan. Given the conservative love for Reagan, and the fact that he is no longer alive and signed books are much harder to come by, I suspected a lot more parity between the two men. It's not even close.

However, it was delightful to discover that signed copies of Bill O'Reilly's and Newt Gingrich's most prominent books sell for less than the books' list price. Love it.

Mark Nickolas is the Managing Editor of Political Base, and this story was from his original post, "Signed Obama Books Going For $2,000, Reagan $900, Clintons $400, O'Reilly Just $25... "

Comments

[tbone99]

And Bush's signed copy of MY PET GOAT - we are buying as a nation for 3 trillion and counting.

[tokenconservative]

O'Reilly's most recent book has been on the bestseller list for upwards of 6 months, and he's had 40~50 signing events with upwards of 1500 books signed - do you really expect his signature to be as hard to come by (or as valuable, for that matter) as Obama's? That being said, George Bush's signed inaugural letter was $2300 in April 2001, something you fail to mention.

[lorla]

I have a copy of Audacity of Hope ( the softcover that I read), that is signed by Obama, Michelle, and Biden. I took it to each town hall and waited for the signature, but it is for me to keep. I really enjoyed the whole campaign season last year, and the book is part of the memories.

[Primus51]

O'rielly's last book has been on the best sellers list for about 6 months straight.

[mendelcrosses]

Best seller simply means its currently selling MORE copies than others,not that it is valued considerably. It could be a best seller and selling for $6 for 2 copies. And giving how the republican authors get to become best sellers,I am not suprise that a republican neocon roup has just bought hundreds of thousands of it and bin it. That was what happened with jerome Corsi book on Obama during the campaign. And I noticed the Jerome Corsi book doesnt even make it on the list.

Moreover,remember the Audacity of Hope is not a new book.

[cowboyjerkface]

It is a known fact that was pointed out last year on RedState.com that the sales of books by hard right conservatives are padded by huge buys through conservative political groups. The true measure of books sales is to check the sales from retail sellers such as Barnes & Nobles and you'll see the truth.....not so hot selling are books by the likes of Coulter, O'Reilly et al.

Just as the figure that Rush Limbaugh has "22 million listeners" was wholly fabricated by his PR firm in the 90's and sold to the public without a single solitary piece of scientific evidence to back that claim, so is the inflated total of book sales.

I find it hard to believe that either Limbaugh or O'Reilly come close to approaching the numbers their PR firm sells to advertisers.

Much like the conservative movement of today that uses outdated methodology to sell their lies, they now have to resort to lying about book sales to make themselves feel good about their slowly dying movement.

Oh yes, there will always be the "conservative movement" but it will be stuck at 23% or lower until it figures out that we are not living in 1865.

[Bushwillresign]

I don't believe O'reilly ever sold a book at list price unless his gop pals bought up a few to make the best sellers list. That being said, you can always buy O'reilly's books at the dollar store for a buck. Check the bottom shelf under the really bad books.

[Primus51]

2,000 for a book looks like another bubble is forming

[madatnewsmedia]

I won't be purchasing a copy, that's for sure!

[camper65]

"There's a sucker born every minute, and two to take his money." - P. T . Barnum

[BartRoberts]

And wish Bush "writes" hi memoirs (The first done manga?), King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia will paying people to take copies.

[jeburr24]

I gave my parents a signed copy of Bill Clinton's book "My Life." I waited at a Sam's Club for four hours or so in the hot summer sun to get it. My mom put the book on a low shelf under a coffee table and the dog chewed it up. I doubt it'd be worth $400 now.

[daffey]

Nothing shocking there. This is the first cult of personality we've had in America. There have been others who have come shockingly close: Kennedy, Reagan, Martin Luther King, Jr., Roosevelt, Washington (probably the closest), Lincoln. But we've never crossed that 'line'. With Obama, we have. One of the problems with defining his job performance is separating the Barack of the White House from the Obama of faith and adoration ( a little ‘Quest For The Historical Jesus’ lingo there). So the only thing shocking me, given the adulation and veneration that Obama has enjoyed, is that signed copies of his books are going for so little. I would have imagined much, much more.

[madatnewsmedia]

Not in this economy!

[daffey]

Well, you have a point. But most people who could spend that much for a signed book, would probably be able to spend more. :)

[trudyjh]

I think the price depends on how many of the author's fans can read. The fewer of those, the lower the price.

[habajebe]

Who would want anything written by Dubya anyway? He is conspicuous in his absence. By far the most incurious President of modern times. What were we thinking?

[LMPE]

Noticeably absent is George W. Bush. Of course, he can barely read, so any book of his would have to be ghostwritten.

[closetodemfection]

Uh, both Clintons, Gore and McCain have all been around for decades and have signed a lot of books. Obama has only been in the public eye for a few years so there are less signed copies. How is this news?

[nomobull]

by that explanation then the reagan books should be at the top since we know there will be no more.

[mendelcrosses]

In that case then,Obama's book should be the cheapest. He has signed more copies than most of them. Remember unlike the others,getting a signed copy of their book was a matter of what class you belong in,as not many people get to meet them at the level of getting them signing their boks. Whereas any Jack and jill could get Obama to signed his book giving how accessible he is.

[Braden Chin]

hahaha....this time at least i completely agree with the free markets. Bill-O and Newt = $0

[twisted-european]

... and if you want a W book, you'll get it for free plus at least one gift ... ;-)