A Harry Potter superfan who found an ultra rare copy of the Philosopher’s Stone worth up to £40,000 has discovered a second first edition copy.
Daniel Pearce stumbled across the first literary treasure in a house clearance on top of a cardboard box earmarked for the tip.
And after reading a report about the astonishing find, a seller contacted him with a second surprise.
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“It’s a paperback in fair condition,” he said.
“Unfortunately it’s not as scarce as the first one – but it is a paperback first impression.
“It is one of approximately 5,000 copies.
“Even beaten up it will make £1,200 to £2,000.”
Mr Pearce, who runs NLB Auctions, Paignton, Devon told What’s The Jam: “They shipped it to us so we have got it into the same auction to give it the best chance.”
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Both books are a first impression and first edition – two of 500 printed and one of 300 issued to libraries.
They will be sold in the same auction.
Mr Pearce found the first book among the possessions of a deceased man from Brixham.
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He said: “It’s something everybody dreams of really.
“I popped into the property and there wasn’t much of value.
“But experience tells you that you have to check everything.
“And there sticking out of a pile on a cardboard box near the front door earmarked for the tip was this first edition.”
Mr Pearce said on the first page of the book there was a £2 pencil mark, which was the cost the library sold it for when it was checked out.
He said the misspelling of philosopher’s on the back of the copy was among the things that identified it as a first edition.
“It is missing the ‘o’ at the end,” he said.
Other differences found in first editions include “inside the first couple of pages you will notice the title line has the numbers extending from 10 down to one”.
Mr Pearce said another copy, in a similar condition, sold in November for £42,000 including the fees.
The auction listing for the second book reads: “Rowling JK Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone London: Bloomsbury, 1997.
“First edition, first impression, paperback issue, one of 5,150 copies, original pictorial wrappers, Spine Rubbing / Damage to Lower Portion of Spine as Seen, slight creasing and wear at extremities, some marks to boards / chipping, no inscriptions, toning to text-block as usual, slight spotting to edges occasionally just encroaching on margins.
“Note: With all the requisite points: copyright page with number line from 10 to 1, author named as Joanne Rowling, and ‘Thomas Taylor1997’ printed without a space, ‘1 wand’ duplicated on p. 53, and the misprint ‘Philosphers’ Stone’ on rear wrapper.”
Both books are being sold on February 8.
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