J.R.R. Tolkien
354 copies for sale · $25–$135,000 · 73 first editions · 11 signed
Notable copies for sale
Tree and Leaf (first edition, signed) — Burnside Rare Books$35,000
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again (first edition, 1937) — Biblio$12,500
In an Unpublished Letter, JRR Tolkien Writes on His Invention and Public Proliferation of (signed, 1964) — Biblio$56,000
The Lord of the Rings. The Fellowship of the Ring; The Two Towers; The Return of the King (first edition, signed) — Burnside Rare Books$135,000
The Lord of the Rings. Part One: The Fellowship of the Ring; Part Two: The Two Towers; Par (first edition) — James Cummins Bookseller$32,500
The Return of the King First Edition (first edition) — Sotheby's$8,000
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings; The Two Towers; The Return of the King (first edition) — Good Books in the Woods$5,000
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring; The Two Towers; The Return of the King (first edition, 2002) — Biblio$250
J.R.R. Tolkien ‘The Peoples of Middle-Earth’ Vol 12 First edition 1996 Hardcover (first edition, 1996) — eBay$110
J.R.R. Tolkien The Silmarillion First Edition Hardcover w/ MAP 3rd Print Book (first edition, signed, 1977) — eBay$68
FARMER GILES OF HAM (first edition, 1949) — Biblio$250
THE RETURN OF THE KING (first edition, 1956) — Biblio$1,100
What these are worth
The Return of the King J.R.R. Tolkien Hardcover Second Edition 1965 (1965)3 copies from 3 sellers
Each page gathers every copy on the market, what similar copies have fetched, and the spread between them.
Works on the market
THE LORD OF THE RINGS - THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE TWO TOWERS, THE RETURN OF THE KING11 copies · £544–£64,788
THE HOBBIT OR THERE AND BACK AGAIN10 copies · A$73–A$30,000
Lord of the Rings10 copies · A$25–A$25,000
THE SILMARILLION10 copies · A$70–A$596
THE HOBBIT5 copies · £47–£1,500
The Lord of the Rings. The Fellowship of the Ring; The Two Towers; The Return of the King3 copies · £9,750–£135,000
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, & The Return of3 copies · $3,500–$28,000
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING By J. R. R. Tolkien3 copies · $42–$2,000
THE TWO TOWERS3 copies · $73–$1,000
THE LEGEND OF SIGURD AND GUDRUN; Easton Press3 copies · $398
THE NATURE OF MIDDLE-EARTH; Easton Press3 copies · $398
THE TWO TOWERS; Easton Press3 copies · $273
THE RETURN OF THE KING3 copies · $53–$73
The Hobbit2 copies · $8,000–$12,500
SMITH OF WOOTTON MAJOR by J.R.R. Tolkien & Pauline Baynes 1978 1st Printing HB2 copies · $75–$4,500
THE HOBBIT, THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE TWO TOWERS, THE RETURN OF THE KING2 copies · $226–$1,398
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE TWO TOWERS, THE RETURN OF THE KING2 copies · $246–$813
THE ROAD GOES EVER ON: A SONG CYCLE By J. R. R. Tolkien & Donald Swann EXCELLENT2 copies · $157–$743
Market context
200 copies of J.R.R. Tolkien's works have left the market recently; the median last-listed price was $75 (last listed prices at time of sale or removal, not confirmed sale prices).
Recent auction results (hammer prices, premiums not included):
The Lord of the Rings, second edition, third impression, Allen & Unwin, 1968 (forum, 2026-10-29)£220
Fifty New Poems for Children, first edition, [1922]. (forum, 2026-09-30)£260
The Lord of the Rings, 3 vol., first paperback edition, New York, Ace Books, 1965. (forum, 2026-09-30)£1,100
The Children of Húrin, first edition, bookplate signed by Christopher Tolkien, sign (forum, 2026-09-30)£800
The Legend Of Sigurd And Gudrún, one of 500 copies signed by Christopher Tolkien, 2 (forum, 2026-09-30)£1,500
The Hobbit, first edition, second impression, 1937 [but 1938]. (forum, 2026-09-30)£3,000
Listings aggregated from rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide; refreshed continually. Prices are seller asking prices unless marked as auction results.