Starbucks Passion for Coffee Cookbook Review - Collectibility
I chose their popular cookbook - Starbucks Passion for Coffee for this collectibility review. Starbucks merchandising and marketing are almost as popular as their coffee. I used to sell a lot of Starbucks mugs and tumblers but they are getting harder and harder to find. I just sold a Starbucks Tokyo Mug for over $60. Starbucks may be having a difficult time in the coffee business but their merchandise remains highly collectible and many items have increased in value several times over. Starbucks collectors have been collecting their merchandise for years but cookbook collectors may not yet have added a copy of this book into their collection.
This book contains not only step-by-step instructions on brewing the perfect cup of coffee, but also contains 34 recipes for coffee accompaniments or desserts and pastries made with coffee as an ingredient.
The book has some nice full-color photographs of the finished recipes, though I can't say they will make you hungry. The photography is a bit dark -- more artistic and fitting for the book's design than to make you crave the actual dish. I found the brewing and coffee preparation chapters to be more interesting than the recipe section. I am actually surprised the cover didn't utilize Starbucks own merchandise in the photo. The book's design is average, not a word you'd associate with Starbucks design but in the cookbook world the design and format are a bit boring. I think Starbucks could have done better with it.
Cookbook Title: Starbucks Passion for Coffee
Author: Starbucks Corporation
Publisher: Starbucks Corporation
Copyright: August 1994, First Edition, First Printing
Format: Hardcover with dust jacket, 96 pages
Specialization Categories: Restaurant Cookbooks
Average Price: $4-$10 (First Edition)
Noted Recipes: Coffee Creme Brulle, Apricot-Citrus Scones, Chocolate Fudge Squares with Mocha Glaze, Almond Macaroons
COOKBOOK COLLECTIBILITY RATINGS RATINGS EXPLAINED
Availability: 2.0
Popularity: 5.0
Investment Outlook: 4.0
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Final Collectibility Factor: 3.67
Starbucks Passion for Coffee Cookbook - Availability Rating - 2.0
This may seem like a low rating but quite the opposite. The more available the book in most cases, the less valuable and therefore a lower rating for this widely available book. The book can be found just about everywhere and it is likely you'll see it at a garage sale, used bookstore or just about every online bookstore out there.
Starbucks Passion for Coffee Cookbook - Popularity Rating - 5.0
Though so many of these books are out in the market, I've given it an average popularity rating. It's $1-$2 used sales price would indicate that the book is not quite as popular as other cookbooks out there. This book is essentially a mass-market book and those tend to go down in popularity after the initial excitement wears. A lot of people also assume this book is coffee/beverage recipes only and that is not the case since there are 34 recipes for pastries, desserts, etc. included.
Starbucks Passion for Coffee Cookbook - Investment Outlook - 4.0
Almost all Starbucks merchandise make good collectibles. This book is no exception. It may take many years for the book to gain back some of its value but if passed down in a collection, I think this is a good bet (I'm talking generations from now...).
Starbucks Passion for Coffee Cookbook - Final Collectibility Factor Rating - 3.67
The book doesn't score terribly high on the final collectibility factor rating--mainly because its mass-market production makes it common, easy-to-find and overly available. I do think it is a good investment (for the $1-$5 it costs) for a serious collector to add a copy to their collection. These collections are often passed down in the family and as I mention in the investment outlook section, after many years, this book will definitely be considered a collectible!
