A first-edition Harry Potter book - anonymously donated to the Isle of Wight RSPCA branch - has sold at its estimated valuation this morning (Monday, February 26).
Bidding started at £4,200 for the copy of Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone, which went under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers in Staffordshire.
Jim Spencer, the auction house’s Harry Potter books expert, initially valued the copy at between £7,000 and £10,000, thanks to its “exceptional condition”.
Read more: ‘I can’t believe it, it’s in the best condition I have ever seen’
At auction, which lasted just a couple of minutes at 9.30am, an online bidder scooped the copy at a cool £7,500 plus commission.
From the Island charity, Rebecca Busby said the book was handed over as a possible first edition.
“One of our volunteers, who is an avid Harry Potter fan and book enthusiast, checked for all the well-known markers and noticed this book had them all.
“She called me and I could hear her excitement as she said ‘I can’t believe it, we have a Harry Potter first edition, it’s in the best condition I have ever seen’.”
In July 2023, a first edition of Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone was auctioned for £10,500, while in March 2022, a pristine first edition copy sold for £69,000.
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