Ben James 1 wrote:It's pretty beaten up so should I have it repaired / restored or are these copies not worth it?
Prices can vary on the early paperbacks, but your Drake edition with yellow cover is likely worth somewhere between $100.00 and $250.00 depending on how long a potential buyer has been looking for one, and how long since the last one showed up for sale.
The yellow cover increases the value somewhat, so it's on the high side of the estimate above.
A typical white cover Drake in average condition usually goes for $75.00 to $150.00.
Folks don't generally restore these versions, as they maintain their value in original condition, and don't increase in value for a restoration that would probably cost more than the book is worth.
Amateur attempts at restoration should be avoided, as such tampering decreases the value of the book substantially.
Drake paperbacks can be hard to find at times, although it would be a mistake to call them "rare", note though that the yellow cover is seen far less often than the white cover.