Rare Harry Potter First Edition Book Fetches £36,000

A rare first edition of a Harry Potter novel has been sold for £36,000. Christine McCulloch acquired this particular copy of *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone* for her son, Adam, during the 1990s. She stated that she purchased the copy for approximately £10 from a bookshop located in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1997, unaware that the same book would appreciate to a value of thousands of pounds three decades later. The first edition was auctioned on Wednesday at Rare Book Auctions in Lichfield, Staffordshire, where the purchaser paid a total of £45,000, which included a buyer’s premium. According to Hansons Auctioneers, this book is among only 500 hardback copies produced in the initial print run of the Potter series in 1997. Its estimated value had been set between £30,000 and £50,000. Adam McCulloch, residing in Tansley, Derbyshire, mentioned that the copy had been stored in a cupboard beneath the stairs at his family’s previous residence in Chesterfield, mirroring a detail from the Harry Potter book and film series. The family became aware of the book’s potential worth during the 2020 lockdown, after encountering news about first editions. He remarked, “Once we got it verified it was a bit of a pinch yourself moment.” Recalling the purchase in 1997, Ms McCulloch stated: “We went in [the bookshop], bought it for £10. “Adam really loved the book and it started off this sort of fascination, as with so many children all over the world now.”” Her son expressed that it was an opportune moment to allow others to experience the book. He commented, “In some ways I think having that bit of a story around it, some tea stains there and a folded over corner here where someone’s enjoyed reading it – I think that adds to the magic.” Information on following BBC Derby is available on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp at 0808 100 2210. This content is copyrighted by BBC in 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external sites and provides information regarding its approach to external linking.