Anonymous donation of first edition Harry Potter for auction

Lifestyle

By Brittany Kasko, Fox Business

A rare first edition of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” is going up for auction — and could sell for thousands of dollars.

The animal charity RSPCA Isle of Wight branch in Godshill, England, received the book as an anonymous gift and took it to Hansons Auctioneers for an appraisal.

RSPCA marketing and communications officer Rebecca Busby at Hansons Auctioneers said the book was a surprising gift.

“One of our volunteers, who is an avid Harry Potter fan and book lover, checked for all the known markers and noticed that this book had them all,” he said.

Hansons Auctioneers confirmed that the book is a first edition of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.”

Now, the rare book is going up for auction, with Busby noting that the proceeds will go to the pet charity, which currently has more than 50 pets in its care.

“All funds raised from the sale of this book will go directly to helping the animals in our care now and into the future,” she told Hansons.

Starting Feb. 26, anyone interested in buying the book can place their bid at Hansons Auctioneers’ Library Auction.

The paperback book is estimated to sell for between $7,000 and $11,000.

Busby said one of the dogs that will benefit from the auction sale includes an 11-month-old cockatoo named Harry.

“We’re sure Harry will help his namesake, Harry the dog, find his magical home and enjoy a wonderful new chapter in his life,” she said.

However, it is not the first of its kind to go up for auction.

In 2022, a hardback edition of the book had pre-bids of $250,000 at a Christie’s auction.

Since then, other versions of the book have had different price tags depending on the quality of the copy.

Hansons Auctioneers book expert Jim Spencer said in a press release that this particular book set to be auctioned is in “exceptional” condition.

“The only minor flaws are a couple of slightly folded corners, and the usual light browning [on] edges of the page, which is actually a reassuring sign because of the cheap paper used,” he said.

He continued, “It should appeal to collectors around the world, and the lucky buyer can be doubly happy knowing the money raised will help animals like Harry.”

For more information on how to bid on unique items, visit hansonslive.co.uk.