I bought a Harry Potter book in the store 30 years ago – now it’s worth £50,000 due to small detail
A RARE first edition Harry Potter book bought for £10 nearly 30 years ago is up for auction and could sell for £50,000 because of one small detail.
The Philosopher’s Stone first edition is one of only 500 hardback copies published in the first ever Potter book print-run in 1997 – and you can spot it because it doesn’t come with a dust-cover.
Christine McCulloch, 64, a retired nurse, bought book for her children after seeing JK Rowling being interviewed on Blue Peter.
It appealed to the mum of two as the author said it would appeal to both boys and girls, perfect for her kids Adam and Rachael.
Her son Adam, 35, even kept the precious tome in a cupboard under the stairs – the same place Harry Potter sleeps in the story.
But he now believes it is time to pass it on to a new owner.
Adam said: “It always felt a bit precious.
“It’s a good job as it could easily have been among the books passed along to friends or family as I got older.”
It wasn’t until 2020 during the Covid lockdown that Adam and his mum Christine realised the true value of their precious first-edition Harry Potter book.
Adam said: “The real moment of discovery about its value came during lockdown in 2020.
“I was living in Sheffield and my sister and mum were back home in Chesterfield.
“They’d seen stories about first editions and, because we’d never really checked, followed steps laid out by books expert Jim Spencer in an article explaining how to identify a first edition.”
Christine added: “The excitement my daughter Rachael and I had when checking the book was really something.”
Adam said: “For years we thought we’d misplaced its dust cover – until we found out it never had one.
“It was only through the media focus, usually featuring Jim Spencer, that we realised there was no cover with the first edition.
“I think it’s the right time to pass it on. I’m very excited about the auction but nervous too.”
Adam said one of the reasons he decided to sell his first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was to spend more quality time with his family.
He said: “The funds will allow me to spend more quality time with my partner, Jen, and my family.
“I want to give mum some new family memories.
“We enjoy visiting Northumberland, so a trip to Alnwick Castle, the filming location for Hogwarts, would be an apt way to celebrate.”
Jim Spencer, director of Rare Book Auctions and a world-renowned Harry Potter books expert, said: “I love the fact this first edition was bought by chance for all the right reasons, and thoroughly enjoyed in the first wave of Potter excitement.
“The November auction actually features two hardback Philosopher’s Stone first editions.
“The other, a near-fine example, has an estimate of £60,000-£80,000.
So far, I have sourced 20 of the 500 books in the first print-run. The top price achieved so far was £69,000.”
In February, a first edition Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone book was set to sell for £10,000.
A generous donor gave away the first edition of the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to the shop on the Isle of Wight.
The beloved classic book was expected to fetch a staggering sum due to its numerous printing typos.
Staff at the RSPCA charity shop were left in shock when found the valuable book at the store’s doorstep as part of a donation.
Rebecca Busby, an RSPCA fundraising officer at the Isle of Wight branch, said: “The book was gifted to one of our charity shops as a possible first edition.”
The book is part of the first 5,000 copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
All the books were printed with the same errors – including words ‘one wand’ printed twice on page 53 and a typo at the rear cover.
One of the volunteers confirmed it was a first edition after spotting errors at the rear cover and inside the book.
Last year, another ultra-rare first edition copy of a Harry Potter book bought for just £10 sold for a whopping £55,0000.
The “fantastically well-preserved” edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone fetched the eye-watering price at an auction.
The hardback book, from the original print run in 1997, was discovered in a shop in the Scottish Highlands later that year by a 58-year-old woman who wishes to remain anonymous.
And the lucky punter even managed to get £2 knocked off the price because it didn’t have a dust jacket.
The novel went under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers at Bishton Hall, Staffs, and sold for £55,104, with buyer’s premium, to a private UK online bidder.
Is your Harry Potter book worth any money?
If you have books collecting dust at home that you think may be valuable, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Firstly, the condition of it is key and will impact the value.
First edition books are also highly sought-after and will usually be more valuable than a later printing.
Better yet, if the author has signed it, you can expect it to be worth more.
The number of copies in existence will also have an impact.
To check if your books are valuable, it’s worth first looking up completed listings on eBay and filtering by the highest value.
You can also decide to have it valued by auction houses but be aware of any fees.
If you decide to sell, remember that you’re not guaranteed to be quids in.