‘Holy Grail’ Harry Potter first edition found in bargain bin sells for $69,000

A rare first-edition copy of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” found in a discount bin in a Scottish bookstore in the late 1990s has fetched $69,000 at auction.

The hardback is one of just 200 early editions of the bestselling children’s book sent out to bookstores ahead of its 1997 mass publication, according to Hansons Auctioneers, which sold the prized literary relic at its Staffordshire saleroom Dec. 11.

The lucky seller was an unidentified 58-year-old Scottish woman, who purchased the book while touring the Scottish Highlands with her family that same year.

“I bought the Harry Potter book before anyone really knew much about it, or the author,” she told Hansons.

Although her fortuitous find predated the Harry Potter mania that swept the globe soon after publication, she recognized the cover and title after reading one of then-unknown author J.K. Rowling’s first-ever published interviews in The Scotsman newspaper.

“I recognised the distinctive book cover straight away. The book seller had placed it in a wicker ‘bargain bucket’ basket on the floor,” she told the auction house.

“Because it had no dust jacket, I got a couple of pounds knocked off the price. Our two children enjoyed the wizard tale as a bedtime story all through that holiday in 1997.”

Years later, the book owner’s children did some research online that led them to believe they possessed a first edition, but she assumed her copy was worthless because of the missing dust jacket. Little did she know what she had was a “holy grail for collectors,” Hansons said.

The book was in storage for years, virtually forgotten and left, of all places, in a cupboard under the stairs in the family’s house, much like young Harry Potter’s meager accommodations at the Dursley’s home in the novel.

However, when she eventually learned the first print run editions weren’t released with a dust jacket, she decided to have her copy authenticated.

“These first issues are getting harder and harder to find. This must be one of the few remaining copies that’s been in private hands since it was purchased in 1997, said Jim Spencer, Hansons’ resident Harry Potter books expert.

“It’s a genuine, honest copy – and a fantastically well-preserved example. This hasn’t been paraded around salerooms or rare book fairs or been restored. It’s fresh to market and it deserves to go full steam like the Hogwart’s Express.”

Spencer said this specimen is a particularly rare find because of its relatively pristine condition.

“Most examples are quite badly worn, especially ex-library copies. They’ve often been shared among friends and carried around in school rucksacks, which in some ways is lovely, capturing the buzz of Harry Potter when it first gained popularity,” he said.

“However, more traditional collectors are incredibly fussy about condition, and this could hardly be better.”

The novel, which was re-titled “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” for US audiences, went on to sell more than 120 million copies.

It remains one of the best-selling books of all time.