Rare Harry Potter book conjures up £4000 at auction

A RARE copy of the first ever Harry Potter book has fetched almost £4000 at auction after being sold by a library for £2.

The tattered novel, which still has the library's label and barcode attached to it, was put on sale nine years ago because it was in such bad condition.

Now the limited edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, by Merchiston-based JK Rowling, has fetched 2000 times it's sale value at auction.

The book was sold for a couple of pounds during the sale at Wellingborough Library, Northamptonshire, in 1999.

A spokeswoman for the county council said: "Someone has certainly got very lucky. The book was sold almost 10 years ago because it was in such poor condition and wasn't a bestseller."

The novel was resold during a Harry Potter auction at Christie's in London yesterday.

A total of 20 of the wizard books were sold for a combined £36,560.

Despite being worn, the library copy still attracted much interest. Loosely inserted in the book was a slip of paper bearing Rowling's signature, which the seller won in a competition in 2000.

Mr Jackson said: "Like most library copies, the book has had its vicissitudes and has been restored. But this is the Harry Potter that everyone wants."

Published in 1997, the novel was considered to have such modest prospects that publishers Bloomsbury ordered a first print run of just 500 copies. About 300 of those were distributed to school libraries.