Over the past couple of years, I’ve let every one of my magazine subscriptions lapse.
Part of it is that it became expensive, and I needed to reduce expenses. But more often than not, I wasn’t making time to read them. They’d pile up and the days would go by as they remained unread.
When I was looking for something to read, I’d grab a book instead.
But I think it’s time to reevaluate that. I’ve recently come to realize that I really enjoyed the periodic arrival of great writing in my mailbox; I simply need to make the time to slow down and read them when they arrive.
This week, I’d like to share with you a few great magazines that I have, at one time or another, subscribed to — and to which I will likely consider renewing my subscriptions soon.
The New Yorker:At $109 a year, The New Yorker is by far the priciest subscription on this list, but it’s worth every penny. The reporting is superb and the stories are compelling. It is the gold standard of news and culture magazines. (It was The New Yorker that this week broke the bombshell story about New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, prompting him to resign four hours after the story hit the Internet.)
Juxtapoz:This offbeat art magazine showcases painting, photography, illustration and graffiti and street art, and profiles the artists behind the work. Each issue is rich and colorful, and a joy to flip through. And at $29.99 for four quarterly issues, it won’t break the bank.
The Paris Review:The storied literary journal that was founded in Paris in 1953, but moved to New York City in 1973, where it has been headquartered ever since. There probably has not been a more influential literary journal publishing poetry and prose in the English language. It’s a little pricy, at $49 a year for four quarterly issues, but it’s worth it if you can afford it.
Harper’s: The second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S., Harper’s has been providing smart content since 1850. With quality, longform reporting and quirky regular features like Harper’s Index and Findings, the $49/year subscription rate is a worthwhile investment.
Interview: Is it a little pithy? Yes. But it is also incredibly captivating and supremely affordable. The monthly magazine, founded by Andy Warhol, features, well, celebrities interviewing one another. And, perhaps because the tables are turned, the resulting conversation is often more insightful than traditional interviews. For instance, in the latest issue, actor Seth Rogen interviews rapper 21 Savage. And at just $25 per year, it’s a real bargain.
The Believer: Originally published by McSweeney’s, The Believer has been called “highbrow but definitely bizarre.” I’d agree. It’s uniquely quirky, and tough to describe. It’s not exactly a literary magazine, but frequently features some of the best writers in the world. The Believer publishes every other month, and an annual subscription runs $48.
Damien Willis is an unpaid columnist for Pulse, writing primarily about entertainment and pop culture. He may be reached at damienwillis@gmail.com or @damienwillis on Twitter.
As such, early issues of even iconic magazines can be worth money. For 20th century upstart mags like Playboy, National Lampoon, and High Times, it's the issues that predate their popularity which are worth the most. For longer-lived magazines, it's the earliest issues that attract collectors.
TIL The most valuable issues of National Geographic are generally those published before 1907. The 1904 issue, its first publication containing images, is almost impossible to find in mint condition.
Overall, the November 29, 1963 issue of Life Magazine is considered a highly valuable and sought-after collector's item for both its historical significance and its cultural impact on American society.
Imagine buying a box of old magazines destined for the dump if no one takes them for $20. Say the box contains 40 magazines. That means each one cost you fifty cents. You could turn around and sell them individually at $20 each, giving you a 4-thousand percent markup.
It focuses on topics such as health, finance, travel, and lifestyle. The magazine has a reach of about 38.2 million, making it the largest-circulation magazine in the United States.
Life magazines from 1972, as a general rule are worth $8.00 - $15.00 each, in Good condition. I nVery Good condition, some could be as valuable as $22.00 - $25.00 each.
Voracious readers often ask themselves are old National Geographic Magazines worth any money? The answer is YES, the magazine is highly collectable as stated earlier. However it lacks a quality grading scale that would determine its value.
Vintage Nat Geo mags unfortunately do not hold a high market resale value. If sold as a collection on eBay you may get $100 if you have over 50 magazines with no missing dates as a collection. Individual mags are under $2 each.
Go to eBay and do a search for “National Geographic Magazine.” You'll find upwards of 20 thousand items listed. Where do your items fit in the scheme of things? Buying or selling on eBay can have unseen hazards for the uninitiated but a cautious and determined approach for either selling or buying has its rewards.
The most valuable Post magazines can sell for about $100-$500, on average. Finding copies with a little damage doesn't really detract from their value so long as they're complete and fully readable. Additionally, the earlier the copy, the more money you can get for it.
But with a projected $26.55 billion revenue for the Print Newspapers and Magazines market in 2023, there's certainly still money to be made through print magazines.
The older issues would be closer to 15-20 dollars each based on the overall condition. When you start getting into the late 1960's-1980's the you would be closer to the 8-12 dollar range. Much of the value of the magazines is going to be dependent on the condition regardless of age.
If your magazine's audience has a local hangout, consider working with the store or café owner for a shared opportunity. Offer to sell the magazine at the register on consignment, where part of your sales go back to the store in return for the counter space.
Never throw old magazines into the bin, even if it's in a poor condition. For households, you can dispose of old magazines in your domestic recycling bins.
True vintage magazines (pre-1970), first editions and certain genres (men's titles, some fashion titles, comics and some others) hold more value; there are many collections of car magazines in lofts across the land, so their values are generally low.
Magazines can generate revenue and ultimately turn a profit through several methods – leaving you to decide which approach you'll take. Many magazines use a combination of revenue-generating strategies to turn a profit.
An annual study found that the total number of magazine readers in the U.S. remained above 220 million in every year between 2016 and 2020, having previously hovered around the 210 and 215 million mark.
No doubt the print news industry is shrinking. Over the next five years in the US, revenue is predicted to contract by about 3% annually, according to analytics website Statista. It'll still be a nearly $22 billion sector in 2029 — about half what it was at the start of the 2010s.
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