Anyone wondering if their Philosopher’s Stone is the same can carry out a number of checks
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16:26, 28 MAR 2026
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A Nottingham man’s one-in-5,000 Harry Potter book is set to fetch a lucrative sum when it goes to auction next month.
Naveed Younas, 37, said he received his paperback copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone when he was a child – and now looks to flog it for thousands in the coming weeks.
Estimated at £3,000 to £4,000, the softcover first edition first impression of the boy wizard’s literary debut goes under the hammer with Richard Winterton Auctioneers on Monday, April 13, at The Lichfield Auction Centre in Staffordshire.
“I liked it very much, read it quite a lot and went on to read the other Harry Potter books in due course,” he said.
“It has been left on my shelf for a few years now, and I thought this would be a good time to pass it on to someone else who will appreciate it.”
A first impression book comes from the very first batch released – and just 5,150 were published by Bloomsbury in June 1997. Five hundred hardback copies containing the same text were also issued.
Robert French, valuer at Richard Winterton Auctioneers, said: “This well-thumbed example has clearly been much-loved and read repeatedly – exactly what it was printed to do.
“There are some interesting anomalies which identify a first edition first printing of the book, either soft or hard cover.
“For example, on page 53 is a list of school supplies Harry receives from Hogwarts, where ‘one wand’ appears twice, at the start and again at the end.
“On the back cover, there is a letter ‘o’ missing from the word philosopher’s, and it also refers to ‘Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft’, which was later swapped around to ‘Witchcraft and Wizardry’.
“Conversely, the most obvious tell-tale sign that you do not have a first impression is if the bottom of the front cover states that the book is ‘a Triple Smarties Gold Award Winner’”
The book features in Richard Winterton Auctioneers’ sale on April 13, starting at 9am.
On the day of the auction, people can bid online, in the room or by prior arranged telephone bid.
People can also view in person at The Lichfield Auction Centre, Wood End Lane, Fradley Park, WS13 8NF, between 10am and 4pm on Friday, April 10.
Anyone wishing to get in touch can email office@richardwinterton.co.uk or call 01543 251081.
The book will go to auction next month (Image: Richard Winterton Auctioneers)1 of 4ShareComments
The book will go to auction next month
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The book was released in June 1997 and quickly broke records as a best-seller (Image: Richard Winterton Auctioneers)2 of 4ShareComments
The book was released in June 1997 and quickly broke records as a best-seller
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Another mistake in the blurb reads “Howarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft” (Image: Richard Winterton Auctioneers)3 of 4ShareComments
Another mistake in the blurb reads “Howarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft”
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‘1 wand’ appears twice in Harry’s list of equipment on page 53 (Image: Richard Winterton Auctioneers)4 of 4ShareComments
‘1 wand’ appears twice in Harry’s list of equipment on page 53
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