“Man and His Symbols” by Carl Jung is considered one of the greatest hardcover books to invest in today

Jung Reader
3 min readMar 15, 2023

--

“Man and His Symbols” is a comprehensive exploration of Carl Jung’s theories on the human psyche and symbolism, published just a few months before his death in 1961. The hardcover printing of this book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in psychology or symbolism. Its rarity and the quality of the first edition have made it a highly sought-after book among collectors and investors. The paperback printing of this book is completely worthless, as is with almost all paperback books.

While the value of any collectible can fluctuate over time, “Man and His Symbols” is likely to remain a valuable investment for years to come. It has since become one of the greatest out-of-print used hardcover books to buy as an investment today. In this article, we’ll explore why.

The author

Carl Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded the school of analytical psychology. He is known for his work on the collective unconscious, archetypes, and the importance of dreams in understanding the human psyche. His ideas and concepts have had a significant impact on modern psychology and continue to be studied and discussed today.

The subject matter

“Man and His Symbols” covers a broad range of topics related to Jung’s theories on the human psyche and symbolism. The book is divided into five parts, each exploring a different aspect of the human psyche and how it relates to symbolism. Part One covers the importance of symbols in understanding the human psyche, while Part Two explores the concept of the unconscious. Part Three discusses the role of dreams in understanding the psyche, and Part Four examines the concept of individuation. Part Five concludes the book with a discussion of the importance of symbolism in religion and art.

The book presents Jung’s ideas in a way that is accessible to a general audience, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in psychology or symbolism.

The timing of publication

“Man and His Symbols” was published just a few months before Jung’s death in 1961, making it the last book that he wrote. This makes it an important part of his legacy and has contributed to its value among collectors and investors.

The rarity

Although the hardcover book sold well when it was first published, it has been out of print for many years. This rarity has made it highly sought after by collectors and has driven up its value. There is a price guide online for this title which will give you an idea of the availability, rarity, and current value of this book. You can find it here: https://medium.com/@jung-reader/price-guide-for-man-and-his-symbols-1964-by-carl-jung-f04f52d8a3b2

The quality of the edition

The first edition of “Man and His Symbols” was published by Doubleday in 1964 and was a large, high-quality hardcover edition. This edition is highly sought after by collectors because of its quality and rarity. The book contains numerous illustrations and photographs, making it both visually stunning and informative.

Where can you still find this used hardcover book?

Since many online booksellers are unaware of the great value of the hardcover version of this book, you can still find it for rock bottom prices that will not last long. On Amazon, you can find it primarily under this listing: https://www.amazon.com/Man-Symbols-Carl-Gustav-Jung/dp/0385052219

On ebay, you can search for “man and his symbols jung” or similar to see the listings for this book.

--

--