An edition of a Harry Potter book has sold for a record price.
As reported by Hull Live, a hardback copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is set to sell for a whopping £100,000 at auction.
It was first purchased in 1997 and remained in its plastic sleeve, untouched and in darkness for 25 years.
READ MORE- East Lothian mum hits out at school's junk food ban that could leave son hungry
One out of 500 copies of these first editions were printed and the owner reportedly nearly retuned it when he noticed it didn't have a dust jacket.
The owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “It didn’t have a dust jacket and I thought it should. I was really disappointed when I went to pick it up. I’m a collector and, being a first edition, I expected it to have one.
"I decided to keep the book on the toss of a coin. It was a moment of destiny.
“Leatherhead Bookworm, one of those magical old books shops, no longer exists but I still hear from the man who sold me the book.
"He likes to remind me that I nearly had my money back just because it didn’t have a slip cover. I remember standing in the doorway debating whether to keep it.
“I took it home and tucked it away in darkness on a high book shelf to keep it from prying eyes but, more importantly, because the paper in the book is poor quality. I was told to keep it away from sunlight to prevent it going brown.
“I bought that first issue of Philosopher’s Stone because I noticed an advert for it in a magazine called Bookseller in 1997. It compared JK Rowling’s book to the Famous Five novels and predicted it could be a prize winner.
"I loved reading Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books when I was a child – and I liked them to have a dust jacket. I’ve really looked after it. It’s in the best condition it possibly can be – almost perfect I would say. It’s never been read.
"A year after I bought it, with Harry Potter excitement growing at my daughter’s school, she asked if she could read it. I said no, absolutely not.
“Instead, I bought her another copy and a later issue of The Chamber of Secrets – both in the Harry Potter Gift Set slipcase. By that time, I’d also acquired a mint first issue of Chamber of Secrets, which I am also auctioning.
“My daughter’s copy of Philosopher’s Stone was a fourth issue – with a dust jacket. So, I put that on my first edition to protect it and tucked it away together with my Chamber of Secrets first edition, also protected by the slipcase.
"They have always been kept separate from my main books collection and hidden in the house. I started collecting books in my 40s. I worked for a paper company and mixed with people in the books fraternity.
"I used to go out at lunchtime looking for rare finds and got hooked. I have quite a big books collection.
“In recent years, I noticed Philosopher’s Stone first editions were selling well at auction but, as mine didn’t have a dust jacket, I didn’t think it could achieve those prices.
"Eventually I realised a dust jacket was not specified. Now I’ve reached the time of life when it would be useful to pay off the mortgage so I’ve decided to sell.
"It’s not easy to part with. Collectors have difficulty selling their prized possessions.”
The copy will be sold by Hansons Auctioneers, in Etwall, Derbys, on March 9 with an estimate of £40,000 to £60,000 but it is likely to fetch much more.
Hanson's book expert Jim Spencer is inundated with queries about Harry Potter books, but he explained that he looked very closely at this particular one.
With a magnifying glass, he said it was like he had stepped back to 1997.
What determines the book value
- Book condition- it must be in pristine condition to fetch the highest price.
- Includes a dust jacket that is kept in pristine condition.
- What edition it is.
The first edition or first 500 printed will gather the most attention or if it is limited edition. These notes can be found in the first couple of pages.
If the book has been sold as a book club collection-it is worth looking into that too.
The dust jacket is often flimsy but can contain artwork while the book itself can be plain.
It is best to keep that jacket in the best condition, away from sunlight and anything that could cause it damage.
