Three rare Harry Potter first editions, discovered in a skip 12 years ago, are set to sell for thousands of pounds at auction. The books, two paperbacks and one hardback of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, were rescued by a teacher when a school discarded them ahead of an Ofsted inspection.
The 65-year-old owner from Buckinghamshire, who wished to remain anonymous, said she could not bear to see the books thrown away. 'I had no idea they were of any value, and neither did the school,' she explained. 'They'd been well-read and the school always ensured its library was pristine for Ofsted inspections.'
The books remained in her loft until four years ago, when her son investigated their worth. A London business offered £4,000 for one paperback, but the owner declined. After seeing a television interview with Charles Hanson of Hansons Auctioneers about a Harry Potter first edition selling for thousands, she decided to contact the auction house.
Hansons book expert Jim Spencer described hardback first editions as 'as rare as hens' teeth' and 'the holy grail for collectors.' Only 500 hardback first editions were printed in 1997, with 300 sent to British schools and libraries. All contain printing errors corrected in later versions.
The hardback is estimated to sell for between £8,000 and £12,000, with the paperbacks expected to fetch £2,000 and £3,000 each. The auction will take place online on 21 May at Bishton Hall in Staffordshire.
