13p Harry Potter ebook with uncommon quirk set to make staggering sum at public sale

A Harry Potter ebook that was bought for 13p may now fetch a staggering sum at public sale – so examine your cabinets!

This particular copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was picked up in a second-hand ebook store 27 years in the past as a part of a bundle costing 40p.

Interestingly, this early model even makes use of a unique model of the writer’s title, stating ‘J A Rowling’ and ‘Joanne Rowling’ as a substitute of J Okay Rowling. The ‘Uncorrected Proof Copy’ is certainly one of solely 200 printed by Bloomsbury 26 years in the past, marking the beginning of the Harry Potter craze.

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The fortunate purchaser discovered it in a London ebook retailer practically three a long time in the past. After travelling the world with it, the ebook ended up gathering mud on a bed room shelf. Now, it is set to go beneath the hammer at Bishton Hall, Staffs., by way of Hansons Auctioneers on February 26. It has a information worth of between £12,000-£16,000.

The vendor, a 52-year-old initially from London however now dwelling in Bologna, Italy, shared: “In 1997, when I was 26, I had just got back to the UK and was living in Crystal Palace in London. I didn’t have much money but I always liked to treat myself to a browse round second-hand bookshops on Saturday mornings.”

He stumbled upon the gem in certainly one of his favorite retailers whereas trying to find some Agatha Christies – and recalled: “Piles of books were all jumbled up in baskets on the floor with a maximum price of 40p.

“The Harry Potter ebook was among the many piles – perhaps even accidentally – as all the remainder have been Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and so forth, so far as I keep in mind.

“I bought it as a throw-in with a couple of other titles – 40p for all three. I don’t think I even looked at it properly to tell the truth.

“Since then, it is adopted me spherical to China, Taiwan, the UK and now Italy being packed and unpacked – with out being learn.

“It ended up stuck behind a shelf in my bedroom until, for no good reason again other than the fact my kids were turning into Harry Potter fans, I went looking for it.

“Even the youngsters have not learn it there are 4 of them aged from 12 to 25. They at all times sadly or luckily on this case most well-liked the movies.

“I was bored one night and scrolling on the internet when a story popped up about the incredible prices achieved for Potter books, so I decided to contact Jim Spencer to see whether my book might be valuable.

“Finding it once I did was only a large piece of well-timed luck for which I’ll at all times be grateful and greater than a tad shocked.

Hansons ebook professional Jim Spencer has solely ever come throughout one different ebook prefer it, which offered at public sale final 12 months for £18,750.

Jim mentioned: “This book has a story all of its own. It’s lived all over the world and cost pennies, not even 40p. As it was sold with two other books it actually cost about 13p.

“The earlier Uncorrected Proof Copy I found went to a faculty library. I’m not certain how this one ended up in a London second-hand ebook store however it’s important to keep in mind this was earlier than the primary Potter ebook had even been printed.

“This proof copy is where the Harry Potter phenomenon began. This is the very first appearance in print of the first Potter novel.

“The title web page mistakenly states the writer’s title as as ‘J A Rowling’ as a substitute of ‘J Okay Rowling and, on the opposite facet, ‘Joanne Rowling’.

“The author’s signing tours, the midnight queues outside bookshops, the movies, the merchandise – it all stems from this.”