Harry Potter book is worth thousands of pounds

[uk666 5,298]

Harry Potter book is worth thousands of pounds

 

A rare first edition copy of Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone has just been sold for £28,500 ($34,500) – after the owner initially purchased the second hand library book for £1.

It didn't seem like an auspicious purchase at the time: a discarded library book bought for £1 (about $1.20) at a rummage sale, one of a handful picked up to read on vacation.

Except the book happened to be a first edition of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (titled "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in the US), one of only 500 to ever exist and distinguished by its two typos.

And on Tuesday, it sold for £28,500 ($34,500) at auction.

First editions of the title have commanded even higher prices at auction -- a copy which belonged to J.K. Rowling's first literary agent sold in London earlier this year for £68,812 (currently $83,350). Still, for a £1 investment, £28,500 is a pretty good return.

Do you have a rare Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone book?

Books from the first print are very rare and can be identified by looking for two very specific types.

• First, the word “philosopher” is spelled wrong on the back cover, and the phrase “1 wand” is repeated in a supply list on page 53.
• Other indications that you may have a rare copy is that Rowing is identified as “Joanne” rather than "J.K".
• The publisher must be Bloomsbury.
• The latest date on the copyright page must be 1997.
• The print line on the page must read: “10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1.”

These first editions are so rare because most went to schools and libraries.