A RARE Harry Potter book could fetch £50,000 when it is sold at auction by a Lichfield business.
The copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was purchased for £10 by Christine McCulloch for her son Adam back in 1997 after seeing author JK Rowling interviewed on Blue Peter.
The first edition is one of only 500 hardback copies published during the first ever print run – and now Lichfield-based Rare Book Auctions expects the book to fetch between £30,000 and £50,000 when the sale ends on 27th November.
Adam McCulloch, now 35 and a musician and marketing manager from Derbyshire, said:
“Mum liked Blue Peter as a child and used to watch the show with us. I was seven, just about to turn eight, when we purchased the book on our family holiday with my dad to Stratford.
“She thinks she paid the standard retail price, about £10. It was on display in the window and she recognised it from Blue Peter.
“For a time the book ended up in a cupboard under the stairs in our old house in Chesterfield. I did have the luxury of an actual bedroom, but kept some things in the cupboard under the stairs, including the book. It always felt a bit precious.
“It’s a good job as it could easily have been among the books passed along to friends or family as I got older.
“The real moment of discovery about its value came during lockdown in 2020. I was living in Sheffield and my sister and mum were back home in Chesterfield. They’d seen stories about first editions and, because we’d never really checked, followed steps laid out by books expert Jim Spencer in an article explaining how to identify a first edition.”
Jim, director of Rare Book Auctions, said the Harry Potter series continued to be popular among buyers..
He said:
“I love the fact this first edition was bought by chance for all the right reasons, and thoroughly enjoyed in the first wave of Potter excitement.
“The stories have helped millions of children learn to love books. The find also reminds us of the power of Blue Peter. The show’s 1997 TV interview with JK Rowling, then a budding author aged 32, is on YouTube and it’s fascinating to watch.
“The November auction actually features two hardback Philosopher’s Stone first editions. The other, a near-fine example, has an estimate of £60,000 to £80,000.
“So far, I have sourced 20 of the 500 books in the first print-run. The top price achieved so far was £69,000.”
Adam said he was keen to use the proceeds of the sale to make new memories with his family.
“It gave me such a buzz when I first had the book because it was another new story to read. Clearly, the thirst for that is alive and well and I’m sure whoever gets their hands on this copy will share that same excitement for themselves.
“For years we thought we’d misplaced the dust cover – until we found out it never had one. It was only through the media focus that we realised there was no cover with the first edition.
“I think it’s the right time to pass it on. I’m very excited about the auction but nervous too. It’s something I’ve never done so it’s fun to try something new. I might even put some wizard robes on for the occasion.
“A big part of my reason for selling is because the funds will allow me to spend more quality time with my partner, Jen, and my family. I want to give mum some new family memories.
“We enjoy visiting Northumberland, so a trip to Alnwick Castle, the filming location for Hogwarts, would be an apt way to celebrate. I also plan to grab lots of books for my nieces, Olive, Isla and Elle, so they, hopefully, will turn into bookworms like their uncle.”
