A first edition of the rarest Harry Potter book ever published could sell for thousands of pounds despite being covered in children’s doodles – and it only cost 50p!
The hardback copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, one of only 500 in the first Potter print run in 1997, was bought from a Manchester charity shop last November. Not only is it in well-thumbed condition, it’s filled with a child’s scribbled drawings of the boy wizard.
The seller, a Manchester businessman who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “I didn’t realise it was a first edition when I bought it. I just spotted the back cover with the image of the wizard and thought it looked interesting. It was only 50p. I found it in one of those traditional charity shops packed with boxes.
“Around Christmas time, I decided to contact Hansons Auctioneers to check whether it was a first edition. They confirmed that it was – a nice surprise to say the least.”
Despite its shabby condition, the book is set for auction at Hansons on March 9 with a guide price of £2,000 to £3,000. Still a tad shell-shocked by the valuation, the seller said: “I live in hope!”
By contrast, in the same sale Hansons is offering a pristine copy of the same book with an estimate of £40,000 to £60,000. It’s owner, a books collector, kept it in darkness to protect it from the light, within a protective cover, for 25 years before deciding to sell.
Jim Spencer, books expert at Hansons, said: “In essence, we have two first issue hardbacks – one carefully preserved and unread, the other thoroughly enjoyed and read to death.
“When it comes to condition, we’re looking at two very different books. One is like new, as good as it gets. The other has been read until it broke, enjoyed countless times, even joyfully illustrated by its young fan.
“The question is, which one was loved the most? Or enjoyed the most? Arguably, the damaged one tells its own important story. I always like to imagine historians of the future gazing at something like this, the doodles and naive fan art, the evidence it was read over and over again – it would surely give them a true sense of Harry Potter fever.
“Ordinarily, condition is everything to book collectors, but people who grew up with Pottermania don’t necessarily see bumped corners or peeling laminate – they see history.
“That said, 300 of the 500 first issues were sent to schools and libraries, and it was ultimately a children’s book, so a premium is certainly going to be paid for anything in reasonable condition. The near-perfect example is a remarkable survivor and could well sail close to £100,000.
“The doodled version has a humble starting price of £2,000 to £3,000. I suppose it’s a lesson in what not to do with a Harry Potter first edition – don’t scribble all over it then give it away. But the people who originally owned it would have had no idea of its potential value today. It was bought for a child to enjoy and love.
“As for the seller, his first edition may not be worth tens of thousands of pounds but it could still make him a sizable return on a 50p investment. Plus, it gives people hope – those Potter first editions are still out there, keep looking. He only found it last autumn.
“The first hardback Philosopher’s Stone I uncovered for Hansons was bought for £1 at a table top sale in Staffordshire. This 50p Manchester find is the biggest bargain yet. It will be fascinating to see what it achieves.”
The books will be offered in theLibrary and Harry Potter Auction at Hansons Auctioneers on March 9. Catalogue: www.hansonslive.co.uk and www.the-saleroom.com. To find out more, email [email protected].
