A 1997 First Edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone book sells for £40k!

[Dumbledore]

A rare Harry Potter book that had been sitting on a bookshelf for two decades has sold for £40,000 at an auction. The 1997 rare hardback was given to a 68-year-old retired civil servant as a present, but he had no idea how valuable it would become.

 

Only 500 of the first editions were ever printed and luckily the book was still in good condition, with the owner admitting he once almost dropped it in the bath when his young children were reading it.

 

(Image: Hansons Auctioneers/Cover Images)
 

The edition, which is deemed a "holy grail" for collectors, was predicted to rake in between £20,000 and £30,000 but has brought in a huge £40k after being sold by Hansons Auctioneers.

 

The seller said: "The book was a present. As it turns out, it is the most valuable present we have ever been given.

 

"In 1997 we were living abroad on a Foreign Office posting. It wasn't the other side of the world but, in a country with an esoteric language and not the strongest historical ties with the UK, opportunities for children to find English language books were few.

"So, when this book turned up from Yorkshire it was a rare thing - a novel-length children's book with an intriguing storyline. It drew us in.

 

Of the 500 books published by Bloomsbury 25 years ago, 300 went to schools and libraries and 200 to book shops.
 

Jim Spencer, head of Hansons' Library Department, said: "Finding another first issue hardback of the 500 originally published is really special.

"I'm honoured to be handling these, and I share the excitement of every vendor.

"I receive hundreds of emails and calls from hopeful owners of Harry Potters all over the world, so it's a little tougher having to let most people down gently - but I check every enquiry, respond to every person, because it's like panning for gold.

 

 

News: DailyStar, TheSun, Edinburgh Live.

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