Nearly 30 years after being bought for just 10 pounds, a rare first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone sold for 36,000 pounds at an auction on Wednesday. Unaware of the book’s future worth, Christine McCulloch bought the copy for her son Adam in 1997 from a Stratford-upon-Avon bookstore. Now, the memorabilia has been sold for a fortune at an auction held at Lichfield, Staffordshire. The bidder paid £45,000, including a buyer’s premium, reported BBC.
According to Hansons Auctioneers, the book is one of 500 hardback copies printed during the first-ever print run in 1997. It was estimated to be worth between 30,000 pounds and 50,000 pounds.
Adam McCulloch, from Tansley, Derbyshire, said the copy had been stashed in a cupboard beneath the stairs of his family’s old Chesterfield home. The family only became aware of its possible worth during the 2020 lockdown after reading about the sales of first editions.
“Once we got it verified it was a bit of a pinch yourself moment,” he said.
Talking about her 1997 purchase, Christine McCulloch said, “We went in [the bookshop], bought it for 10 pounds. Adam really loved the book and it started this sort of fascination, as with so many children all over the world now.”
Adam believed it was the right time to sell the book so others could appreciate it.
“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,” he said.
The Harry Potter book series, written by British author JK Rowling, consists of seven books written over 10 years. The series chronicles the lives of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, who study at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
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