If you haven't been watching the exchange rates recently, you might not realize that the value of the British pound against the dollar has fallen considerably. Today at XE.com, one pound is worth $1.59. Not long ago, it was north of $1.90. That means an £85 Bible from R. L. Allan & Sons that would have cost more than $160 not long ago is closer to $135 now. So far, my efforts to convince my wife that going crazy on the Swaine Adeney Brigg site now makes good economic sense have met with little success, though.
Crossway is offering seconds of the ESV Thinline bound in cordovan calfskin for just $75. This is not only a $75 savings over retail, but about $30 less than the discounted firsts on Amazon. If you don't mind a Bible with a little damage -- and let's face it, a little damage up front might help you worry less about "abusing" a nice edition -- then this is worth considering. The cordovan calfskin is my favorite binding from Crossway. The large print in black calfskin is half off at $100, too.
I've come across another ESV deal, too, this time at EvangelicalBible.com, where they have a calfskin hardback Journaling Bible discounted to just $33.75. I have one of these and it's an elegant edition -- it would make a nice gift, too.
Any other deals out there? Let us know in the comments.
Stay away from that SAB site--waaay too dangerous.
Posted by: Alan | October 25, 2008 at 11:43 AM
Ok Mark, till today I liked you, your style and your blog. But now I just plain HATE you!!! I am a sucker for bags 'n handmade leather goods and right now am flat broke and you provide that link!! This is a crime against all possible human rights. It is unprecedented in history and thus should be punished and banned by law. Your blog is inspiring people to incure debts, rob banks (ah, I forgot, there's no money to be obtained anymore) and spend their days dreaming of touching and smelling leather, feeling it's smooth and satiny touch...
You are a tempter par excellence.
Posted by: Yasmine | October 25, 2008 at 01:40 PM
Only thing I can think of is that the WTS bookstore has all their ESV's for 40-50 percent off.....
Posted by: Matthew | October 25, 2008 at 03:23 PM
Not in the "luxury Bible" category at all, but today I happened to notice that CBD has 4 copies of the "Dickinson New Analytical Study Bible", KJV, hardbound, for $18.71. This edition is long out of print--I have no idea where CBD came up with them--and it usually sells for a good deal more when it comes up in the used-book market.
I ordered 2, one to keep and one to give away.
Lee
Posted by: Lee Miller | October 25, 2008 at 07:21 PM
Mark,
Let the buyer beware about the ESV Cordovan seconds. I purchased a cordovan calfskin thinline when it first came out and immediately fell in love with it. The leather has a smoothness like no other I have ever felt. It is amazing. In fact, two cambridge goatskins (an NASB pitt minion and NASB wide margin) and four Allans (ESV highland, 2 NIVs, and an NRSV) later, and the cordovan calfskin thinline is still my favorite daily use Bible. So much so that I decided last week to purchase a cordovan calfskin in the classic reference style since I started to fear that Crossway was no longer making the cordovan calfskin. I ordered it from WTS Books (they and Evangelical Bible had the best price at $107 -- Evangelical had free shipping but I did not notice that until it was too late). This purchase was a new Bible and not a second. It was also a piece of junk! The leather was poor quality and there were actual slits in the leather at the point of binding which made the spine separate from the leather. Had I known you were going to make this post, I would have made pictures for the site. Simply put, there was no similarity between this Bible and the thinline I purchased years ago. I can assure you I would not pay $25 for this Bible. I don't know if the "seconds" are anything like this "first" I just returned -- but I am now too nervous to consider another such purchase.
Anyway, Crossway sent FedEx over to pick up my latest purchase and is sending me another. I will supplement this post when I receive it. This is not a knock of Crossway. I love all of the many choices they give us and own several of their Bibles. They also asked no questions when I called to let them know about this purchase. They simply sent over the FedEx truck and said they would send me a brand new one. Pretty good customer service! Nevertheless, this most recent experience has me shaken about the quality of some of these cordovan calfskins. I simply cannot express how pathetic the leather and binding job was on this Bible! If someone purchases one of these "seconds" I would love to hear about a great experience. I need an excuse to replace my thinline with a new on at the $75 pricetag.
Posted by: kyle Hedrick | October 25, 2008 at 10:43 PM
Dear Mark, I guess it is time to take revenge! You think Moleskin is fine? Be told there is better: Lambskin floppy bound Smython of Bond Street Notebooks with silver or gold gilt edges, fountain pen-proof high quality thin paper.... See for yourself and start to salviate
http://www.smythson.com/
Posted by: Yasmine | October 26, 2008 at 07:34 AM
Can anyone get a discount on one of those Aspinal Messenger bags in Cognac? I had the darn picture of it on my desktop for a couple days. Perhaps I should make it a wallpaper on my desktop. ;)
I suspect an Allan Bible would be well protected for travel in one of those. Or perhaps I could just buy several more Allan Bibles at that price! Phew!
Posted by: Robert Lombardi | October 26, 2008 at 09:53 AM
is it me, or is it getting a bit snooty in here?
maybe it is that we are just getting ready for a long trip...?
Posted by: mashmouth | October 26, 2008 at 02:47 PM
Nice Indiana Jones hat, but a bit pricey...
Posted by: Cicero | October 26, 2008 at 07:53 PM
Yes, its 300-dollar hat... I should have never clicked on that link...
Posted by: Cicero | October 26, 2008 at 07:55 PM
That link is taking me to a new level of cruelty.
Posted by: Edward Lyons | October 27, 2008 at 09:52 AM
Woweeee! What a deal! I wish I had $75 right now. The NIV Bold edition from RL Allans was the best deal so far with it's margin issue which turned out to be no issue at all. I will be doing a review soon on my website of the TNIV pocket bible from RL Allan. I bought one for my wife in purple. I think Mark did review on this one but his was in Tan highland if I recall. I should be taking pics today and review tomorrow. Check it.
http://reigningimmortal.com
Posted by: Winston Waldemayer | October 27, 2008 at 01:21 PM
Don't be lured in by their Indiana Jones hat. It's no longer the same hat that was used in Raiders. Track down an Akubra Federation. Quality will be better, price will be much better. The American dollar is very strong against the Aussie dollar right now. It's a good time to order. Or there's always Adventurebilt...
Posted by: Alan | October 27, 2008 at 06:46 PM
Don't have a lot of money to buy a house? Worry not, because that's achievable to get the personal loans to solve such problems. So get a car loan to buy all you need.
Posted by: BarrCandice | September 04, 2011 at 08:44 AM