The 1938 first edition, second impression of The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien was spotted by staff at the charity’s Harborne store in Birmingham, who recognised it could be valuable and sent it for expert assessment.

Only around 2,300 copies of the edition were printed, and it includes four colour illustrations by Tolkien.

Oxfam said the proceeds from the sale will support its work tackling poverty and inequality around the world, BBC News reoprts.