The BBC reported on the 9th (local time) that the first hardcover edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone sold more than £21,000 at the NLB Auction held in Payton the previous day. The title of the first Harry Potter film was changed to Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone when it was published in the United States.
The first edition of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” was published in 1997. Back then, only 500 hardcover books were published.
Daniel Pearce, who runs the auction house, said he found the book among the belongings of a recently deceased man in Bricksham, England, adding that it was in a pile of junk that would be discarded at the time of discovery. “The book that was auctioned this time is one of 300 copies distributed to the library out of 500 copies of the first edition, and it is a really good price for the winning bid for the first hardcover,” Pearce said.
He added that one of the characteristics of the first edition was that the word “philosopher” printed on the back of the book was misspelled, confirming that the book was the first edition.
JULIE KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
