Overview
This is a first edition, first printing of Jean M. Auel's 'The Mammoth Hunters', the third installment in her wildly popular Earth's Children historical fiction series.
Identification
The Mammoth Hunters by Jean M. Auel, First Edition, 1985
Photo reference
2 uploaded photos
Story
Published in 1985 by Crown Publishers, 'The Mammoth Hunters' is the third installment in the culturally significant 'Earth's Children' historical fiction series. The series is notable for its extensive research into prehistoric life and its massive popularity in late 20th-century publishing. Jean M. Auel's 'Earth's Children' series was a massive commercial success in the 1980s, resulting in very large initial print runs. Consequently, supply on the secondary market is abundant.
Maker / Origin
Unattributed
Condition & Value
The seller notes the presence of the dust jacket and claims first edition/first printing status. For modern first editions, value is highly dependent on the dust jacket being unclipped, free of tears or fading, and the binding being tight without foxing (yellowing/spotting) on the page edges.
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Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Market Analysis
Jean M. Auel's 'Earth's Children' series was a massive commercial success in the 1980s, resulting in very large initial print runs. Consequently, supply on the secondary market is abundant. Buyers are primarily nostalgic readers and series completionists who demand near-perfect condition and true first printings; copies with standard wear generally trade as inexpensive reading copies.
Value Drivers
▲ Presence of the original dust jacket, which is essential for modern first edition collectors
▲ First edition, first printing status (pending verification of the number line)
▲ Enduring nostalgic appeal of the Earth's Children series
Concerns
▼ Unverified copyright page — lacking a full number line would indicate a later printing, dropping value significantly
▼ Unverified dust jacket flap — a missing or clipped price often indicates a lower-value Book Club Edition (BCE)
▼ Massive original print run ensures high market supply, limiting overall price ceilings
Best Venue
List on a broad online marketplace like eBay or Etsy, targeting nostalgic readers and series collectors. To maximize the sale price and justify the higher end of the range, include clear, well-lit photos of the copyright page (showing the full number line) and the inside flap of the dust jacket (showing the original retail price).
Upside Potential
If the book is in immaculate, unread condition with a pristine, unclipped dust jacket, or if it happens to carry a verified signature by Jean M. Auel, it could reach or slightly exceed the high end of the estimate.