A charity shopper was stunned after finding a rare 1961 second edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit in a charity shop for just £2 and quickly realising it could be worth considerably more.
The Bargain Find
Turning to Reddit's charity shop finds forum, the shopper asked for help identifying the potential value of the green hardback with black detailing, which appeared in good condition. "Did I just find £2 gold??" they wrote, alongside a photograph of the book.
In a follow-up post, they shared publication details: "Pretty sure it's a second edition, there's a few coloured illustrations, the date goes to 1961. Does anyone know if this is rare or, worth anything? I don't like selling things but money is very tight at the minute, like for everyone else. Anyone know?"
Collector Opinions on Value
Comments flooded in with opinions on the book's worth. One commenter wrote: "There's one the exact same edition as yours that has sold on eBay for £80 but it was in much worse condition from what I can see. There is another listed for £800 but that seems very overpriced."
They continued: "I'd say without the dust jacket yours would sell for £200+ and possibly more. The good thing about Tolkien books is you can just list them as an auction and the book will reach it's value because there are so many collectors. Just make sure you put all the correct information in the title and description."
Another user added: "The most recent 2nd edition, 13th impression sold on eBay without a dust jacket for £140, second most recent was £119.99. Yours appears to be in slightly better condition." A further commenter suggested seeking a specialist in rare books rather than relying on eBay prices.
