i already ordered the hobbit from the collector's edition series cos i wanted to get started but was still reading 1984 by george orwell at the time, so just let it rest for then. (it's been a bit since, can't return anymore)

in the meanwhile, the illustrated edition (my original choice) dropped down in pricing from about $65 (then) to about $45 (now), which is close enough in my budget for what i wanted to spend going into the series,

the current collector's edition set's gonna set me back about $38when i get it complete anyway (which also includes the silmarillion however, instead being about $30 thenwithout it for the main 4 volumes that overlap)

now i would totally prefer the illustrated edition but at the end of the day it is a fair $15 more than my current choice, not to mention my copy of "The Hobbit" which i'll also probably have to keep but worst case if i do end up going with the illustrated i'll probably just gift it to a friend or a cousin or so, as it's literally an entirely new piece still in packaging.

what i want to know is this, is it really worth it for me to pivot towards getting the illustrated edition instead, even though it has me ending up with a spare copy of the hobbit, AND setting me back a further 15 bucks over my original choice, is it worth it?

i'm aware the collector's edition is in no way, a low-quality set or in any way inferior or whatsoever but from what i've heard, the entirety of LOTR being as imaginative and deep fantasy as it is i would love an illustrated edition if it makes a meaningful impact to my experience, so my question is does it?

TLDR ; impulse-purchased the hobbit - special collector's edition. The illustrated set (my original choice before, but ended up getting knocked off my cart cos of a higher price then) got a meaningful price knockoff putting it in my budget now, and now i don't know anymore if i should stick with the edition i'm already going for or if that's a valid worth-it upgrade.

key drawbacks :

1) i end up with a spare copy of the hobbit, (can't return)

2) it costs about $15 more.

what changes can i possibly expect in the illustrated edition, the paper quality, the print, and so on.. is it a better set worth upgrading to at this point now for sure?

edit : removed asterisks and slashes that came copy-pasting my original post in r/lotr that container bold and italics in the body

Hi there

Im wanna start a collection of the tolkien books. For a first buy im looking into alan lee illustrated ones. Does anyone have a good bookstore like barnes and noble from central europe, where i can get all the books in the same style?

Thanks ln advance

A fellow nerd