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Rare First Edition “Harry Potter” Book Could Be Worth $65,000; To Be Sold at Auction Soon
A first edition of a “Harry Potter” book could be worth as much as $65,000 when it goes up for auction.
BBC News reported that the copy of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone” was on a bookshelf for 21 years. This book also happens to be one of 500 hardcover first editions. The book was purchased by a retired British expat who lives in Luxembourg.
“I bought the book for my children around 18 months after it was first published,” the seller said. He then added: “If I remember correctly, I bought it by mail order from Barnes & Noble so I am guessing they had it in their warehouse for a while.”
The anonymous seller said he decided to buy the book after reading a positive review in the Weekend Financial Times.
“I needed English books to read to my three children at bedtime as I was on a mission to teach them my native language from an early age,” he said. “Their mother is Luxembourgish and they were going to state schools here in Luxembourg, so I needed to make a bit of an effort.”
Book To Be Auctioned
He brought the book to Hansons Auctioneers, which will handle the sale.
“True first issues are seriously scarce,” said Hansons’ books expert Jim Spencer. “Only 500 were printed, 300 of which were sent to schools and libraries. This is extra rare because it’s one of the remaining 200 and yet this is my fourth one in just over a year. It’s a cliched phrase, but they really are the holy grail for collectors.”
The book will be sold at an auction on October 13th. According to BBC News, the man plans to use money from the sale to pay off his daughter’s student loans.
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