Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - This rare first edition book sold for £118,812

A first edition copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone has sold for A LOT of money!

The ultra-rare book went up for auction in Bonhams, on Wednesday 11 March and sold for a whopping £118,812!

It was first printed in 1997, and has a very special message in the front of the book to: "the first person ever to see merit in Harry Potter" from author JK Rowling.

The sale means it is one of the most expensive copies of the book ever sold.

But why do they think it is worth so much money - and what makes it so rare?

There were only 500 copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone first released

First Edition or First Impression?

This book is a 'first edition', which means it was the first ever buyable version of the book.

It is also a 'first impression' which means that it was part of a small number of the first few books ever to be printed.

If the book becomes popular, then more are ordered and printed - becoming a 'second impression'. In this second printing sometimes the text might be changed - making it less valuable.

Only 500 first edition, first impression hardback copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone exist, making it very rare!

A pretty special inscription

This book previously belonged to Bryony Evens, who worked as an office manager in a small publishing company in Edinburgh.

In 1995 JK Rowling sent the first three chapters of Harry Potter to that publishing company and it would have gone unseen if it wasn't for Bryony!

Bryony read them and fell in love with the story, and encouraged her boss Christopher Little to ask Rowling for the full book. JK then sent a full copy to Bryony when it was published by Bloomsbury in 1997.

A year later Bryony went to visit JK Rowling at a book signing event, and when Rowling recognised her she gave her a big hug and wrote a special inscription, or message, in the book she'd brought.

It says: "To Bryony - who is the most important person I've ever met in a signing queue & the first person ever to see merit in Harry Potter. With huge thanks. JK Rowling"

How much have other books sold for?

One of the most expensive copies of Harry Potter to sell at auction, sold for £150,000 in 2013.

It had notes from JK Rowling and 22 original drawings from her in it.

The most expensive Harry Potter book ever sold by Bonhams was in 2017 for a whopping £106,250!

It was owned by one of JK Rowling's friends, whose kids had met at nursery in Edinburgh, and has a special inscription in it which is dated one month and one day after it was first published.