For decades, the Lord of the Rings series has proven to be magical. There’s magic in the stories, of course, but the real magic is the series’ ability to unite people. That said, few fans have bragging rights quite like this man on Antiques Roadshow. Not only does he have a 1972 copy of The Lord of the Rings, but he also has a signed copy from the author himself.
This fact alone is amazing. But it’s really the details that make this story so incredible. As the man explains on the show, he received the book from his parents on his 12th or 13th birthday. As luck would have it, soon after, his parents were given the chance to get the book signed… learn more from the man himself in the video below.
Man Tells Story of How He Got a Signed Copy of The Lord of the Rings — and Discovers Its Worth
That’s right — this man’s parents had a friend who had their own friend who knew J.R.R. Tolkien. So well, in fact, that they were able to get this child his very own signed copy. Overwhelmed by this kind gesture, the boy wrote a letter of thanks to Tolkien. Sadly, the author passed soon after. Still, even then he got a response from his publisher, letting the boy know Tolkien had read the letter before passing.
With all things considered, this prized possession is estimated to be worth $12,000. Still, if you ask most of the people in the comment section of this video, they’ll say it’s priceless.
“I would keep it. Invaluable especially with the personal letter,” one person shares, with another adding, “Bro knows exactly what it’s worth with that nod.”
Although we don’t know for sure whether or not this man chose to sell the book, the official Antiques Roadshow account did share that, “Most of our guests do end up keeping their treasures!”
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here!
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