A first edition copy of JRR Tolkien's classic novel The Hobbit has been sold for more than £10,000 after being discovered by chance in a charity shop. The rare book, which tells the tale of Bilbo Baggins' adventures, was found by the manager of the Cancer Research UK superstore in Dundee.
The charity shop typically prices items at £5 or less, but recognizing the value of the book, it was listed for sale on eBay, where it eventually fetched an impressive £10,099.50. Published in 1937, this particular edition is one of only 1,500 copies released in the original run and features black and white illustrations by Tolkien himself.
Adam Carsley, the manager who found the book, initially thought that the "well looked after" copy would not be suitable for sale on the shop floor due to its age. He stumbled upon the rare gem while assisting with training new managers and organizing stock, including a large collection of books in the backroom.
"When I opened the first page and saw it was a first edition, I thought it may be worthy of sending to the eBay team," Carsley said. He admitted that he initially expected the book to fetch a maximum of £500 if they were lucky, so he was astonished when he learned a few months later that it had sold for over £10,000.
According to Mr Carsley, this donation is one of the most valuable items ever received by one of the charity's branches anywhere in the UK. He continued: “To my knowledge, this is one the most valuable items donated to one of our stores. Most definitely the highest price achieved on our eBay site for a single item.
"Donations like these help to fund lifesaving research across the whole of the UK.”.
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