Rare Harry Potter first edition bought for 50p from charity shop sells for staggering £15k at auction

10.03.2022 - 17:45 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk

A rare copy of the first Harry Potter book, bought from a south Manchester charity shop for 50p and covered in doodles, has sold at auction for a staggering £15,000.

The first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was expected to fetch between £2,000-3,000 when it went under the hammer yesterday (Wednesday). It was one of only 500 copies of JK Rowling's worldwide best-seller published in the first print run in 1997.

But its well-thumbed pages, peeling covers and children's felt-tip pen doodles of the boy wizard failed to deter potential buyers. Bidders from around the world got into a 'colossal' battle when the book went under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers in Staffordshire on Wednesday, with the book eventually being sold to an online bidder from America for £15,500.

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The seller, a Manchester businessman who wishes to remain anonymous, said: "I am astounded. I know it's a piece of modern history but the result is extraordinary.

"I bought it from a charity shop last November. I didn't realise it was a first edition. I just spotted the back cover with the image of the wizard and thought it looked interesting. It was only 50p.

"Around Christmas, I decided to contact Hansons to check whether it was a first edition. They confirmed it was – a nice surprise to say the least."

In the same sale a pristine copy of the same book sold for £69,000 to an international buyer. Its owner, a book collector, kept it in darkness to protect it from the light, within a protective cover, for 25 years before deciding to sell.

Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers and auctioneer on the day, said: "What a battle for the battered and bruised Potter! "We're