Rare uncorrected Harry Potter book with JK Rowling's name misspelt to be sold at auction

A rare and uncorrected proof of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone that spelled JK Rowling's name wrong is set to go under the hammer at an action in the US.

The book, which is only one of 200 ever printed, misspelled Edinburgh author J.K Rowling's name and printed it instead as "J. A Rowling". The copy was purchased for just £1 by St. Kenelm’s School in the village of Minster Lovell, Oxfordshire, at a publisher's book sale in 1997.

The school kept the literary treasure in its library until 2002 when it was stored away and forgotten - only to be rediscovered by accident last year. The proof was then purchased by a local business owner named Dale Henry.

Its proceeds went towards St. Kenelm’s at the time. Now, it is set to be resold and will be available for bidding at the upcoming Historical Platinum auction event in Dallas, Texas, on July 25.

The proceeds of the current sale will be directed back into the community, aiming to help reinvigorate a small town nearby where the tourism-based economy has suffered during the UK's recent cost of living crisis.

It is expected to fetch an estimated price of $5,000, however, another uncorrected proof of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone sold in February for nearly $14,000.

Mr Henry said of the book: “When I first heard of the proof, I was immediately intrigued by both its unique history and its connection to the area – as well as the fact that my wife is a massive Potterhead. I hope others are similarly compelled, and I see this auction as an opportunity to reinvest in the community during a tough time.”

In 2021, a first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone fetched $471,000 at auction - the equivalent of £371,435. Five hundred copies were printed of that edition.

A separate first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone sold for over £60,000 after it was discovered in a bargain bucket in the Highlands. The book, from the first print run in 1997, cost just £10 to buy 26 years ago.

It had been stored away in a cupboard under the stairs for years - just like the young Potter who famously lived in a cupboard under the stairs in the Dursley’s house. The hardback, which is just one of 200 to be distributed to shops during the first print run, was discovered by a mum during a caravan holiday in the Highlands in the late 1990s.

And earlier this year, another first edition of the same sequel sold for £7,500 after being anonymously donated to a charity shop. Staff at the RSPCA branch on the Isle of Wight were left gobsmacked when a mystery donor gifted them the book and told them it was a possible first edition.

Experts confirmed the copy, which was described as being in 'exceptional condition' was from the first print run in 1997 and worth thousands of pounds. It went under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers in February, with all proceeds going towards the RSPCA.

Auctioneers say this current auction gives buyers a unique opportunity to own one of the earliest pieces of the magical world of Harry Potter. It was written and produced in the 1990s when J.K. Rowling was an unknown, impoverished single mother, and the world had yet to be introduced to and captivated by The Boy Who Lived.

Pre-bidding for the book will begin on July 1 and run until the hammer date of July 25. Buyers will have the opportunity to bid online until the live auction.

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