A rare first edition of Harry Potter has recently been sold at auction for more than £8,000, 27 years after it was bought for a mere £3.50. Jane Thompson-Webb, the owner of the book, originally purchased it for £4.99 in 1997 with a staff discount at Ottakar’s Bookshop in Birmingham where she worked. After keeping the book on her shelf for almost three decades, she rediscovered it during a recent clear-out.
The paperback copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was auctioned at Richard Winterton Auctioneers in Lichfield, Staffordshire, and sold for £6,600, with a total exceeding £8,000 including the premium paid by a UK telephone bidder. Auctioneer Richard Winterton expressed delight at the outcome, citing the book’s excellent condition. There was substantial interest in the book leading up to the auction, with over 30 bidders from the US and the UK participating online, in addition to two telephone bids and individuals attending the saleroom.
Jane Thompson-Webb, who hails from Erdington, Birmingham and works as a conservation manager for Birmingham Museums Trust, recounted her initial purchase of the book when she was 27. She highlighted how the release of Harry Potter got many young boys reading, recalling the enthusiasm surrounding the book at the time. The original edition features printing errors, such as a misspelling of ‘Philosopher’s’ on the back cover and the author’s name credited as Joanne Rowling instead of JK Rowling.
For those wondering if they have a first edition copy at home, Mr. Winterton provided key identifiers to look out for, including specific errors in the text and copyright information of the book. These details, such as missing letters in words and the sequence of publication information, can help determine the authenticity of a first edition Harry Potter book. With the significant interest and value placed on such rare editions, avid collectors and fans continue to seek out these coveted literary treasures.