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Why are books owned or marked by notable people called association copies valuable to collectors?

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In the hobby of book collecting, an association copy is a book that is prized for its connection to a prominent or interesting person. These copies are considered highly desirable because they contain evidence of a significant individual's engagement with the text, such as personal inscriptions, annotations, or other markings left by the author or a notable previous owner.12

For collectors, the value of an association copy lies in this unique provenance, which transforms a standard volume into a tangible link to history or a specific figure. While factors like rarity and physical condition are standard metrics for determining a book's worth, the "association" factor adds a layer of historical or personal significance that can make a copy particularly sought after, sometimes even serving as the primary focus for entire collections.2