The points of issue
Ed. Christopher Tolkien, illus. Alan Lee (jacket plus interior illustrations, eight in colour). UK first impression 2007 with printing number line including 1; a deluxe slipcased quarterbound issue with gold Helm of Hador motif also exists.
Is this the true first?
Published simultaneously on 17 April 2007 by HarperCollins in the UK and Houghton Mifflin in the US; the UK HarperCollins printing is the originating edition and the one collectors treat as the true first. The deluxe slipcased issue is the premium format.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club and later printings lack the number line to 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Children of Húrin a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Ed. Christopher Tolkien, illus. Alan Lee (jacket plus interior illustrations, eight in colour). UK first impression 2007 with printing number line including 1; a deluxe slipcased quarterbound issue with gold Helm of Hador motif also exists.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. Published simultaneously on 17 April 2007 by HarperCollins in the UK and Houghton Mifflin in the US; the UK HarperCollins printing is the originating edition and the one collectors treat as the true first. The deluxe slipcased issue is the premium format.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club and later printings lack the number line to 1.
I have a first edition of The Children of Húrin — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.