Hi,

I have been referred to this forum by some helpful folks at the LOTR Plaza. I am looking to sell a couple of Tolkien books and would like to know what a fair price for them would be.

The books are:

The Lord of the Rings 1997 edition limited to 1000 copies

The Hobbit 1997 edition limited to 600 copies and signed by Alan Lee.

Neither book has been read and both have been stored carefully. I'm in Australia if that makes any difference.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Rohansgirl

This has been discussed on the lotrplaza forums by myself and another member of the plaza, any views on the prices quoted and best way to sell?

http://www.lotrplaza.com/forum/forum_ ... 42106&PID=7420360#7420360

Hi Rohansgirl
Nice books and some good advice from Trotter
Will PM you

I don't see anyone actually giving Rohansgirl any prices here.

As as been discussed many times before, Abebooks is hardly a reliable guide to what price a private seller might be likely to achieve; no slight on D.M. over at The Tolkien Bookshelf --for a start ABE sellers are paying 13.5% commission.

Regarding LotRs, 3rd & 4th impressions pretty much go for original RRP (£100) on eBay, or, more commonly, for less. The only reason they go higher, I think, is because buyers don't know what impression they are. 1st & 2nd impressions are, admittedly, less common. Here's prices I've noted:-

February 2011 £130 "as new" [1st imp.]
May 2010 £160 [1st imp.]
That's all I've noted going back to Dec. 2009.

Regarding H, again this edition (Hatchards) is fairly infrequently auctioned on eBay.

March 2010 £268 [#143]
February 2010 £321 [#285]
I haven't noted any others, again going back to Dec. 2009. I can't be bothered looking back any further.

So, I'd say no more than £200 for LotRs, and probably around £300-£350 for the Hatchards H.

BH

Can't comment on the Hobbit, but I paid roughly GBP 60 for a 4th Impression (Leatherette slipcase) HC LoTR and about the same for the 2nd impression (Cloth slipcase) of the HC LoTR. Both were eBay sales three or four years ago. From the odd ones I have seen sell, 60-100 seems to be the going rate for these, depending on who happens to be bidding on the day. The 1997 1st impression seems to go for more, as you would expect.

Cheers
Stu