ORIGINAL PRICES OF W. E. JOHNS BOOKS

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Until decimalization in 1971, Britain had a currency system where there were 240 pennies to a pound and twenty shillings to a pound.

A shilling was therefore worth 12 pennies.

Pre-decimalization, a sum would normally be written in Pounds, Shillings, Pence

(written as £ S D).

A Guinea was one pound and one shilling (21 shillings).

There was a one pound note and also a ten shilling note.

A "Crown" was 5 shillings but never generally used. They were only minted for special occasions.

A "Half Crown" was 2 shillings and 6 pence.  A "Florin" was 2 shillings and a "Double Florin" 4 shillings (although this was only minted for four years from 1886 to 1890 and hardly ever used thereafter).

A "Sixpence" was referred to as a "tanner" in slang and a "Shilling" was also referred to as a "bob".

A three penny coin - "Threepence" was pronounced "Thrupence" and two single penny coins making "Twopence" was pronouced "Tupence".

A "Ha'penny" was half a penny and a "Farthing" was a quarter of a penny.

 

Coins after decimalization carried the term "New Pence" (removed in 1982) to differentiate them from old, pre-1971 decimal coins.

 

 

BOOK TITLE

 

YEAR

 

ORIGINAL PRICE

 

OLD PENNIES

DECIMAL PRICE

 

KINGS OF SPACE

 

 

 

1954

 

7 shillings and 6 d

 

90

d

37.5

p

RETURN TO MARS

 

 

 

1955

 

7 shillings and 6 d

 

90

d

37.5

p

NOW TO THE STARS

 

 

 

1956

 

7 shillings and 6 d

 

90

d

37.5

p

TO OUTER SPACE

 

 

 

1957

 

8 shillings and 6 d

 

102

d

42.5

p

THE EDGE OF BEYOND

 

 

1958

 

8 shillings and 6 d

 

102

d

42.5

p

THE DEATH RAYS OF ARDILLA

 

 

1959

 

8 shillings and 6 d

 

102

d

42.5

p

TO WORLDS UNKNOWN

 

 

1960

 

8 shillings and 6 d

 

102

d

42.5

p

THE QUEST FOR THE PERFECT PLANET

 

1961

 

8 shillings and 6 d

 

102

d

42.5

p

WORLDS OF WONDER

 

 

1962

 

9 shillings and 6 d

 

114

d

47.5

p

THE MAN WHO VANISHED INTO SPACE

 

1963

 

9 shillings and 6 d

 

114

d

47.5

p

 

 

WORRALS OF THE W.A.A.F.

 

 

1941

 

3 shillings and 6 d

 

42

17.5

 p

WORRALS CARRIES ON

 

 

1942

 

4 shillings and 6 d

 

54

22.5

 p

WORRALS FLIES AGAIN

 

 

1942

 

5 shillings and 0 d

 

60

25

WORRALS ON THE WAR-PATH

 

 

1943

 

5 shillings and 0 d

 

60

d

25

p

WORRALS GOES EAST

 

 

1944

 

5 shillings and 0 d

 

60

d

25

p

WORRALS OF THE ISLANDS

 

 

1945

 

6 shillings and 0 d

 

72

d

30

p

WORRALS IN THE WILDS

 

 

1947

 

6 shillings and 0 d

 

72

d

30

p

WORRALS DOWN UNDER

 

 

1948

 

7 shillings and 6 d

 

90

d

37.5

p

WORRALS IN THE WASTELANDS

 

 

1949

 

7 shillings and 6 d

 

90

d

37.5

p

WORRALS GOES AFOOT

 

1949

 

6 shillings and 0 d

 

72

d

30

p

WORRALS INVESTIGATES

 

 

1950

 

6 shillings and 0 d

 

72

d

30

p

  

 

KING OF THE COMMANDOS

 

 

 

1943

 

5 shillings and 0 d

 

60

d

25

p

GIMLET GOES AGAIN

 

 

 

1944

 

5 shillings and 0 d

 

60

d

25

p

GIMLET COMES HOME

 

 

 

1946

 

6 shillings and 0 d

 

72

d

30

p

GIMLET MOPS UP

 

 

 

1947

 

6 shillings and 0 d

 

72

d

30

p

GIMLET'S ORIENTAL QUEST

 

 

1948

 

6 shillings and 0 d

 

72

d

30

p

GIMLET LENDS A HAND

 

 

1949

 

6 shillings and 0 d

 

72

d

30

p

GIMLET BORES IN

 

 

 

1950

 

6 shillings and 0 d

 

72

d

30

p

GIMLET OFF THE MAP

 

 

1951

 

6 shillings and 6 d

 

78

d

32.5

p

GIMLET GETS THE ANSWER

 

 

1952

 

6 shillings and 6 d

 

78

d

32.5

p

GIMLET TAKES A JOB

 

 

1954

 

6 shillings and 6 d

 

78

d

32.5

p

 

 

MOSSYFACE

 

 

 

1922

 

6d

 

2.5

THE SPYFLYERS

 

 

 

1933

 

3 shillings and 6 d

 

42

d

17.5

p

THE RAID

 

 

 

1935

 

3 shillings and 6 d

 

42

d

17.5

p

BLUE BLOOD RUNS RED

 

 

 

1936

 

7 shillings and 6 d

 

90

37.5

DESERT NIGHT

 

 

 

1938

 

7 shillings and 6 d

 

90

37.5

THE UNKNOWN QUANTITY

 

 

 

1940

 

7 shillings and 6 d

 

90

d

37.5

p

SHORT SORTIES

 

 

 

1950

 

7 shillings and 6 d

 

90

d

37.5

p

DR. VANE ANSWERS THE CALL

 

 

1950

 

6 shillings and 0 d

 

72

d

30

p

SKY FEVER

 

 

 

1953

 

7 shillings and 6 d

 

90

d

37.5

p

NO MOTIVE FOR MURDER

 

 

 

1958

 

12 shillings and 6 d

 

150

d

62.5

p

NO MOTIVE FOR MURDER (US Version)

1958

$2.95 (In 1959 £1 = $2.80)

253

d

105

p

THE MAN WHO LOST HIS WAY

 

 

1960

 

10 shillings and 6 d

 

126

d

52.5

p

WINGED JUSTICE

 

 

 

2001

 

 

£19.50

 

 

 

1950

p

 

 

CHAMPION OF THE MAIN

 

 

1938

 

5 shillings and 0 d

 

60

d

25

p

SINISTER SERVICE

 

 

 

1942

 

5 shillings and 0 d

 

60

d

25

p

COMRADES IN ARMS

 

 

1947

 

6 shillings and 0 d

 

72

d

30

p

RUSTLERS OF RATTLESNAKE VALLEY

 

1948

 

7 shillings and 6 d

 

90

d

37.5

p

ADVENTURE BOUND

 

 

1955

 

2 shillings and 6 d

 

30

d

12.5

p

ADVENTURE UNLIMITED

 

 

1957

 

2 shillings and 6 d

 

30

12.5

WHERE THE GOLDEN EAGLE SOARS

 

 

1960

 

12 shillings and 6 d

 

150

d

62.5

p

THE ADVENTURES OF THE JUNIOR DETECTION CLUB

1960

 

10 shillings and 6 d

 

126

d

52.5

p

 

 

THE PICTORIAL FLYING COURSE

 

 

1932

 

5 shillings and 0 d

 

60

d

25

p

FIGHTING PLANES AND ACES

 

 

1932

 

5 shillings and 0 d

 

60

d

25

p

THE AIR V.C.'s

 

 

 

1935

 

3 shillings and 6 d

 

42

d

17.5

p

SOME MILESTONES OF AVIATION

 

 

1935

 

3 shillings and 6 d

 

42

d

17.5

p

THE PASSING SHOW

 

 

1937

 

5 shillings and 0 d

 

60

d

25

p

THE MODERN BOY'S BOOK OF PIRATES

 

1939

 

5 shillings and 0 d

 

60

25

THE BIGGLES BOOK OF HEROES

 

1959

 

10 shillings and 6 d

 

126

52.5

THE BIGGLES BOOK OF TREASURE HUNTING

 

1962

 

11 shillings and 6 d

 

138

d

57.5

p

 

SKY HIGH

 

 

 

 

1936

 

3 shillings and 6 d

 

42

17.5

STEELEY FLIES AGAIN

 

 

 

1936

 

3 shillings and 6 d

 

42

17.5

MURDER BY AIR

 

 

 

1937

 

3 shillings and 6 d

 

42

d

17.5

p

THE MURDER AT CASTLE DEEPING

 

 

1938

 

3 shillings and 6 d

 

42

17.5

WINGS OF ROMANCE

 

 

 

1939

 

3 shillings and 6 d

 

42

d

17.5

p

THE MISSING PAGE - In "The Thriller" - issue no 454  - 16th Oct

1937

 

2d

 

2

0.8

p

HERE IS A LINK TO “THE REFERENCE CATALOGUE OF CURRENT LITERATURE 1940” PUBLISHED BY WHITAKER – I HAVE HIGHLIGHTED JOHNS’ WORK AND THE PRICES

This list has been compiled from my own collection and information from other collectors as well as original advertisements.

It will be helpful in determining whether a particular book has a first edition dust wrapper.

It is interesting to note that an entire set of first edition NON Biggles books could have been bought for a total of £20 pounds, 18 shillings and 9d.

If one adds on the price of the all the Biggles books (bearing in mind that 'Comrades in Arms' is also in this list) then the total payable for a complete collection of the first editions of W. E. Johns would be £55 pounds 4 shillings and 7d which is less than you pay to fill up your car with petrol today!

 

If anybody thinks there are any errors with these prices then please e-mail me by clicking here

 

TO SEE THE BIGGLES PRICE LIST JUST CLICK HERE

 

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