Are Old National Geographic Magazines Worth Anything? An Honest Answer

If you've just cleared out a house, there's a good chance you're looking at a shelf of yellow spines. National Geographic is the magazine people kept: millions of households saved every issue for decades because it felt too good to throw away. That's exactly why most of them aren't worth much. There are simply too many.

The honest answer is that issues from the 1950s onward usually sell for a dollar or two each, and many don't sell at all. Older issues, maps and a few specific things are different, and this guide shows you how to find them.

What most issues are worth

1950s to today: typically $1 to $5 an issue, and often less in bulk. Charity shops and libraries often turn them away because they get so many. A complete, tidy run of a decade can sell as a lot, but buyers are usually decorators and people who want a birth-year issue, not serious collectors.

1920s to 1940s: more interest, especially in clean condition with any original map supplements still inside. Expect a few dollars to a few tens of dollars per issue, more for strong subjects.

1900s to 1910s: scarcer and more collectible. The familiar yellow border only arrived around 1910, so issues before that look quite different.

1888 to 1899: this is where the real money is. The magazine started in October 1888 as a thin scholarly journal with a plain brown cover, printed in small numbers. Complete, sound issues from this period can sell for several hundred dollars, and the earliest numbers for more.

What makes an issue worth more

Age matters most. The further back, the fewer survived.

Maps and supplements. Many issues came with fold-out maps. A missing map can cut the value of an older issue sharply, and some early or popular maps sell well on their own. Check the back of the issue and any pocket for folded inserts before you sell.

Condition. A clean copy with a tight spine and bright cover is worth more than one that's been read to pieces. Water damage, mould and a strong smell kill value quickly.

Famous issues. The June 1985 "Afghan Girl" cover is the best-known issue ever published, but it was printed in huge numbers, so ordinary copies sell for modest amounts unless they're close to perfect.

Bound volumes. Library-bound years are worth less per issue than individual copies, because collectors usually want the original covers.

How to check what yours are worth

Sort by year first. Pull out anything before about 1930 and anything with a map still folded inside. Everything else is almost certainly bulk.

For the pieces worth checking, search eBay for the exact month and year and filter to Sold items. Asking prices for old National Geographics are often wildly optimistic, so sold prices are the only ones that mean anything. The method is the same as in the guide to finding out what an antique is worth. If you're going through boxes, the Valued app can identify an issue from a photo of the cover and give a starting estimate.

What to do with the rest

Sell decades as lots, offer them locally for crafts and decorating, or give them to schools and art groups that use them for collages. Don't spend time listing 1970s issues one by one; the postage will cost more than the magazine. The same goes for most later issues of Life magazine, which people kept in similar numbers.

Common questions

Are old National Geographic magazines worth anything?

Usually very little. Issues from the 1950s onward typically sell for $1 to $5 each, often less in bulk, because so many were saved. Issues from before about 1930 are worth more, and those from 1888 to 1899 can be worth several hundred dollars each in sound condition.

What is the most valuable National Geographic?

The earliest issues, starting with the first issue from October 1888, are the most valuable because they were printed in small numbers and few survived. Rare original map supplements can also be valuable on their own.

Is the Afghan Girl issue worth money?

Not much, in most cases. The June 1985 issue is famous, but it was printed in very large numbers, so ordinary copies sell for modest amounts. Only exceptionally clean copies sell for noticeably more.

Do the maps inside make a difference?

Yes, especially for older issues. A missing fold-out map can sharply reduce an issue's value, and some maps sell well on their own. Always check for inserts before selling.