People often wonder what their cookbooks are worth. A simple search on the Internet may yield a vast range of cookbooks that appear at first to be valuable. Don't be fooled. Many cookbook sellers "park" their cookbooks on sites such as Amazon, eBay or Abe Books and ask an insane price, way above the true value.

It would be difficult for me to sit and list prices that my books have fetched over the past year or to name even the top 100 most valuable cookbooks in terms of price. Still, I can give you some pointers as to those coveted cookbooks. My Top 10 Most Collectible Cookbooks posting names highly collectible books--but those are not necessarily based on cost. Instead they are based on the ratings system I use in my reviews. My collectibility reviews also each include values.

Here are some of the cookbooks that stand out in my mind as keepers in terms of an investment or based on price alone. These do not include signed cookbooks as those are in a category of their own and depend on author, availability, etc. Most of these are a bit more mainstream. There are some very valuable cookbooks that are worth these books many times over but they are usually antique or a rare cookbook and seldom seen. I've tried to list some of the books a non-collector or collector alike may have on the shelf. Send Comments - click the envelope icon at the bottom of the post to comment.

What's your most valuable cookbook? What's the most you've ever spent on a cookbook and which one was it?

  • Betty Crocker's Cookbook (red pie cover) $40-$50 
  • Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book - $35 - $50
  • Betty Crocker's New Picture Cookbook 1961 - $50 - $70 (can fetch up to $100 like new condition, 1st)
  • Come Into the Kitchen Cookbook - Mary & Vincent Price - $20 - $35
  • Dali Les Diners de Gala Cookbook - $75-$80 (I've seen it go for double, this is average pricing)
  • Desserts by Pierre Herme - Dorie Greenspan $50
  • Disney Cookbooks - Any
  • Fine Ole Dixie Recipes 1939 - $200-$400
  • Great Italian Desserts - Nick Malgieri - $40
  • Joy of Cooking (good condition 1940's & 1950's) - $30 - $40
  • Loaves and Fishes Cookbook - Anna Pump - $35-$40
  • Mastering the Art of French Cooking (set volume 1 & 2) - Julia Child (1st edition) $40
  • Pillsbury Kitchens' Family Cookbook (1979, 1st) - $40
  • Treasury of Great Recipes - Mary & Vincent Price - $50 - $125 (fluctuates a lot, 1st in perfect shape can go higher)
  • True Grits Cookbook - Junior League of Atlanta, Georgia - $35
  • Weight Watchers Slow Good Super Slow Cooker Cookbook - $60 - $65