This Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone book was just sold for £57,000 – and it’s one of 500 copies

15 October 2019, 12:25

By Alice Dear

@According2Al

It’s time to check your book cases for forgotten Harry Potter novels as one edition has made a couple £57,000 richer.

A Lancashire couple, who were expecting to make a huge £30,000 at auction by selling their copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, have sold the novel for £57,040.

The pair, who wanted to remain anonymous, were the owners of a rare hardback copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which was first published in 1997.

The edition is only one of 500 copies, and went for almost £30,000 more than they expected at auction this week.

The sellers planned to keep the novel as a family heirloom, keeping it locked in a coded briefcase in their home in Lancashire.

The way the book has been kept means it is in great condition, and the briefcase has stopped the old pages from turning yellow.

The couple said of the book: “It's been locked away in a briefcase along with a first edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets which is also up for auction.

"The plan was to keep them as family heirlooms, which is why my wife put them in a briefcase. It was to stop the pages turning yellow."

Hansons Auctioneers’ Jim Spencer said that dealing with the Harry Potter novel felt like "dealing in smuggled diamonds”.

Following the sale of the novel by a private UK buyer, Jim said: “I’m absolutely thrilled the book did so well – it deserved to. I couldn't believe the condition of it – almost like the day it was made. I can’t imagine a better copy can be found.

“A 1997 first edition hardback of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is the holy grail for collectors as so few were printed.”

He went on: “The owners took such great care of their precious cargo they brought it to me in a briefcase, which they unlocked with a secret code. It felt like we were dealing in smuggled diamonds.”

The sellers said following the auction: “It goes without saying that we’re absolutely delighted with the price achieved and very pleased with the way Hansons handled the sale.

“The book was given to us as gift by an aunt when our children were small. She bought it at an independent book shop when it was first published.”

*Queue a stampede of people running to their bookshelves*