LOTR 25th Anniv Box Set: Value & Condition

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the value and condition of a 25th anniversary box set of "The Lord of the Rings" (LOTR), with participants exploring its potential worth in the context of book collecting and appraisal. The conversation includes comparisons to other collectible books and considerations of rarity and printing editions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the value of a mint condition 25th anniversary box set, suggesting it may not be worth much.
  • Another participant suggests checking eBay for current selling prices, indicating that market value is determined by online sales.
  • Several participants share their experiences with other collectible books, particularly a first edition of Newton's "Principia Mathematica," which they claim has little value.
  • A participant notes that the value of books often depends on whether they are first editions or first printings, highlighting the complexity of book appraisal.
  • There is speculation that unless the LOTR box set was part of a very limited printing, it is unlikely to be rare or valuable due to the high number of copies sold.
  • One participant references a signed paperback of LOTR that was appraised at $10,000, suggesting that signatures or specific printings may significantly increase value.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the potential value of the LOTR box set, with some suggesting it may not be worth much and others indicating that specific conditions or editions could affect its worth. No consensus is reached regarding the overall value of the box set.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the importance of distinguishing between first editions and first printings, as well as the role of limited print runs in determining value. There is also uncertainty regarding the legitimacy of appraisal sources referenced in the discussion.

Physics is Phun
Messages
100
Reaction score
0
lets say I had a 25th anniversary box set of LOTR in mint condition, would they be worth anything?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
See if someone is selling that set on eBay. These days, eBay sets the price.
 
Probably not.
I've got a mint first edition of Newton's "Principia Mathematica", and that is hardly worth anything.
 
arildno said:
Probably not.
I've got a mint first edition of Newton's "Principia Mathematica", and that is hardly worth anything.


The Latin one? I might give you 25 bucks for it.
 
selfAdjoint said:
The Latin one? I might give you 25 bucks for it.
I'll think about it.
 
can anyone find the 50th anniversary for sale from an actual bookstore, (online). It's the blue hardcover leatherbound edition
 
arildno said:
Probably not.
I've got a mint first edition of Newton's "Principia Mathematica", and that is hardly worth anything.
Ooooh :-p

By first edition you mean printed in 1687?
 
From what I have learned from my in-laws who are collectors/antiquers, the only real valued books are first run printings. You can have a first edition, but not a first printing. It gets tricky. There are people who specialize in book appraisal. You might try to hunt one down on-line and see if they can give you a rough ball park figure.
 
lol, i don't think a first edition is is my price range :P
 
  • #10
Unless this was a very limited printing, I doubt it. LOTR has simply sold too many copies and it's hard to believe that any edition is all that rare unless the publisher intentionally made it that way.
 
  • #11
loseyourname said:
Unless this was a very limited printing, I doubt it. LOTR has simply sold too many copies and it's hard to believe that any edition is all that rare unless the publisher intentionally made it that way.

http://www.oddvolumesunited.com/appraisals.html

Again, I think you need to look around. Look at the very top in bold:
Another lucky book owner found his signed paperback Tolkien - "The Lord of the Rings" appraised at $10,000. Do you own a book treasure?
Granted, this was signed, but a first printing might be valuable as well.

I have no idea if they are legit, but how can you turn down such a thoughtful looking individual?

http://www.oddvolumesunited.com/art/appraise.gif
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Expectation value of the momentum for an electron in a box
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Undergrad Ways to put n balls in m boxes such that exactly k boxes are empty?
  • · Replies 29 ·
Replies
29
Views
6K
Undergrad Does putting a hydrogen atom in a box mix angular momentum states?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Misc. Isolation box to measure light source inside (closer to visible light)
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
4K
Electrical USA Building Codes: Inside Junction Boxes with Terminals?
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
4K
Undergrad How to determine if a set is a semiring or a ring?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
4K
Both roots of a quadratic equation lying within limits
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
3K
Undergrad The density of states independent of Boundary Conditions
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
1K
Find the values of a real number ##a## for an inequality to hold
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
Undergrad Karush Khan Tucker Gradient Conditions
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K