A rare first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, nearly thrown away, has been sold at auction for more than £21,000, reports BBC.
The book was discovered by Daniel Pearce, an auctioneer at NLB Auctions, while sorting through the belongings of a deceased man from Brixham. It was originally set to be discarded, but Pearce recognised it as a highly valuable collector’s item—one of the first 500 copies ever printed, with only 300 sent to libraries.
What made it even more special were the printing errors, including a typo on the back cover where Philosopher’s was missing its final “o”—a key detail that confirmed it was a first edition.
The auction, held on Saturday, drew bidders from around the world, joining in person, online, and over the phone. To give collectors from the United States a fair chance to bid, the book was scheduled for 4pm GMT.
After a competitive bidding war, it was sold to an overseas buyer. Pearce described the outcome as “a fantastic result for a first-edition hardback”, adding that the seller would be “delighted” with the unexpected windfall.
The sale is yet another reminder of the lasting magic of J.K. Rowling’s iconic series, with early editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone remaining among the most sought-after books in the world.