Halsbury's Laws of England buyer
Sell Halsbury's Laws of England
The only encyclopaedia of English law — worth more to us than to the shelf.
We buy 3rd, 4th, and 5th edition sets, complete or partial, with or without a current Noter-Up and Cumulative Supplement.
About the set
The standard encyclopaedia of English law.
Halsbury's Laws of England is the only comprehensive narrative statement of the law of England and Wales — every subject, arranged alphabetically, cross-referenced to the underlying cases and legislation. First published in 1907, it's now in its fifth edition, kept current between reissues by an annual Cumulative Supplement and a monthly Noter-Up service. It's the set most chambers and firms owned before Lexis+ made it available on screen.
See the current edition on LexisNexis ↗
Wondering what your set is actually worth? Read the valuation guide →
Have law reports on the shelf too, alongside Halsbury's? See what we buy there →
Which edition do you have?
Multi-volume sets are the hardest to identify, because the edition isn't always obvious from a single spine. The title page of any volume will state it. If you can't find it, the publication dates below are usually the giveaway.
| Edition | Published | Volumes |
|---|---|---|
| 5th (current) | 2008 onwards | Being published in 103 |
| 4th | 1973–1987 | 56, later around 80 with reissues to 1998 |
| 3rd | 1952–1964 | 43 |
| 2nd | 1932–1941 | 37 |
| 1st | 1907–1917 | 31 |
A note on the 4th edition: it began at 56 volumes but grew through selective reissues between 1988 and 1998, so a complete 4th edition shelf is often larger than the original run.
5th edition
The current edition, published by LexisNexis. Individual volumes are still being reissued and updated — the highest-value edition to sell.
4th edition
56 volumes published 1973–1987, later expanded through selective reissues. Complete sets are still well worth having valued.
3rd edition & earlier
43 volumes published 1952–1964. Considered case by case — condition and completeness matter more for older editions.
What affects value
Three things we look at.
Completeness
The main volumes plus a current Cumulative Supplement and Noter-Up are worth most, but a full run without them is still worth having valued.
Edition
5th edition carries the most value, though complete 4th and 3rd edition sets are genuinely worth selling too.
Condition
Sound bindings and clean pages matter more than perfection. Ordinary chambers wear is expected, and priced in.
While you're here
We buy the rest of the shelf too.
Halsbury's rarely sits alone. If you're clearing a library, we're also interested in the titles that usually sit alongside it.
Also from LexisNexis
Law reports
Practitioner texts
Who this is usually for
Most Halsbury’s Laws sets reach us one of three ways.
Firms clearing a library room
A full Halsbury’s takes a wall. Reclaiming that space is the most common reason we get called. Selling a solicitor’s library →
Institutional libraries
Courts, councils and universities hold it too, and clear it when research moves online. Courts, councils and universities →
Executors and families
A large set inherited with an estate, where the volume count alone is daunting. Executors and probate →
Common questions
About selling your Halsbury's set
How much are old Halsbury's Laws sets worth?
It depends on edition, completeness, and condition, not age alone — a full valuation guide covers all three, but the fastest way to know is to send us a photo of what's on the shelf.
Do you buy 4th edition sets, or only the current 5th?
Both. The 5th edition carries more value, but complete 4th edition sets are still well worth having valued.
My set doesn't include the Cumulative Supplement or Noter-Up — is it still worth anything?
Yes. A current supplement adds to the price, but its absence doesn't rule your set out.
How many volumes does a full set have?
It varies by edition and reissue history — a modern full set runs to somewhere around 80-plus volumes. Partial sets are bought too.
Ready when you are
Submit an enquiry and get a valuation for your Halsbury's set.
Four details and we’ll come back with a valuation, usually within 24 hours. Nothing to catalogue or sort first, and no obligation either way.
We’ve got your enquiry.
Your reference is your enquiry. Worth a note — quoting it saves you explaining everything again if you call.
We’ll review what you’ve sent and come back with a valuation, normally within 24 hours. If anything’s unclear we’ll ask — usually just one question.
Got photographs? Send them to info@SellLawBooks.co.uk quoting your reference and we’ll add them to the file.