A J.K. Rowling book by any other name.....

From DOA to red hot!

It's fascinating how a change in events, or a new piece of information can cause an item's value to soar instantly. Case in point: a few weeks ago a big story hit the news regarding Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling. Apparently bored with the wizard world, Rowling decided to write a "whodunit" novel entitled "The Cuckoo's Calling." She wrote the book using the pseudonym, Robert Galbraith. The book was published back in the spring to slightly above average reviews. Despite the decent reviews, the book promptly tanked. A total number of 1500 copies were sold in England-not exactly Harry Potter numbers! As the book began slipping into oblivion, it was "mysteriously" revealed that the real author of the The Cuckoo's Calling was not some some unknown author, but a slightly more famous scribe by the name of J.K. Rowling. Once this little piece of information made the news, book sales soared like Harry Potter on a broomstick. The book is now number one on the New York Times best seller list!

This is where the magic of supply and demand comes into play. Had you been one of the original 1500 readers who bought a first edition/first printing copy of The Cuckoo's Calling when it was allegedly written by some scrub named Robert Galbraith, you would have paid about $20. But now that everyone knows the book was written by J.K. Rowling, it's value has gone sky-high! First edition/first print copies are selling for several hundred dollars on eBay! (Current editions are now printed with Rowling's name on the inside-no value in that.) Kicking it up a notch, if you were one of the fortunate few who purchased a "signed" copy with Rowling signing her pseudonym "Robert Galbraith" you really hit the jackpot. These rare signed copies are selling on eBay for $4000 dollars!

It's amazing. A book that was originally ignored by most people goes from twenty dollars to nearly $300.....all because of a little piece of news! You have any similar examples? Pass them along in the comment section below....




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