Proofs of first Harry Potter novel bought for pennies, sold for Rs 11.50 lakh

A proof copy of the first Harry Potter book, bought for pennies in a second-hand bookstore more than 30 years ago, sold for $11,000 at auction, according to Harry Potter magazine. Price in GBP (Rs. 1.15 Lakh). abc news. The original cover of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, marked “Unedited Proofs”, was reportedly purchased from a south London bookstore in 1997 along with two other novels for 40 pence ($0.50) . British auction house Hanson’s Auctioneers.

The seller, who asked not to be named, said she bought the book about the famous young wizard, “threw it in” with other books and ignored it for years until she learned of the high prices some Potter books commanded.

The book sold at auction on Wednesday for £11,000, taking the total price with sales premium to £14,432. According to the outlet, the buyer is a British individual. Jim Spencer, director of books at the auction house, said the author’s name on the inside title page of the book was incorrectly listed as “JA Rowling” instead of JK Rowling.

“This book deserves to do well. This proof copy was the start of the Harry Potter phenomenon. It was the first printing of the first Potter novel,” Mr Spencer said.

Meanwhile, an extremely rare Harry Potter book bought for 30p sold for £10,500 at an auction last July. According to the BBC, the first edition of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” was one of 500 copies purchased by a Staffordshire collector who died earlier last year. A hardcover copy of the book will be auctioned by Richard Winterton Auctioneers at Lichfield Auction Center in Fradley Park on 10 July.

Published by Bloomsbury in 1997 with a laminated cardboard cover, the book is one of only 500 first edition First Impressions books and one of only 300 sent to libraries. According to a news release from the Litchfield Auction Center, a buyer from Los Angeles successfully bid online. The book is estimated to weigh between £3,000 and £5,000 due to being “much loved” as an ex-library book.