If you’re lucky enough to have a first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone it may be worth more (um, that’s much, much, much more) than you could have ever expected.
Yes, it’s super-beyond popular. But, the crazy cash value is coming from just how rare this printing actually is.
So, you’re thinking, “First edition, well it’s got to be worth something, right?” Absolutely right! But, these first editions have something that other books do not – a typo! Yes, we all make those pesky little mistakes. We’ve all been there, somehow adding extra words, switching letters or even worse — your text autocorrects and you accidentally send your boss a message that reads, “Do you want the boobs before or after lunch?” instead of, “Do you want the books before or after lunch?”
The publishers of J.K. Rowling’s first in the Harry Potter series are no different. While they may have made millions, they also made mistakes. Or, at least one major mistake. On page 53 there’s a typo. “1 wand” is listed as one of the supplies that first-year students are expected to bring to Hogwarts. The thing is, “1 wand” is listed two times. Oops.
I found a typo in the first Harry Potter book! “1 wand” is listed twice. @jk_rowling pic.twitter.com/mF5cDgN8jT
— alien girl (@danasclly) September 1, 2014
That seemingly small mistake may fetch owners a major payday. One of the books with the misprint is expected to sell for over $33,000 at auction in London. While the price hasn’t been paid yet, it’s rumoured that London’s Bonhams Fine Books and Manuscripts auction (in November) will bring in the price.
Matthew Haley, Bonhams’ Head of Books and Manuscripts, told the Independent, “As the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone has a special place in the affections of the millions of readers across the world and the proof reading error about the wand in the first edition has, of course, become a treasured piece of Harry Potter arcana.”
Even though the book has sold over 400 million copies, only 500 of the first edition exist. Haley notes, “This copy is in excellent condition – one of the very best I’ve seen – and we’re expecting a lot of interest.”
Who would have thought that such a tiny little typo would make someone so much money? Now, wouldn’t it be perfect if your next misprint got you a paycheck worth tens of thousands of dollars? Well, you could test it out. But, we’re guessing that it’s probably not going to get you $33,000.
