How to Spot a First Edition Harry Potter Book

A first edition Harry Potter book is one of only 500 that were originally published. J.K. Rowling’s publishers, Bloomsbury, were unsure whether Harry Potter would be a success at first, so they kept the first print run very small. Most went to school libraries, where they were read again and again by kids. Unsurprisingly, many have disappeared, are in very bad condition, or have simply fallen apart. Last year, a first edition of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone sold at auction for £19, 700, or almost $40,000. The first ever Harry Potters are very rare, but if you collect Harry Potter, read on to learn how to spot a first edition Harry Potter book.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Determine which book it is. The title of the very first Harry Potter book was "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's (Sorcerer's) Stone," published in 1997. the "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" title is a later publication. The jacket art is as shown in the image in this article.
2. Check the cover. This very rare edition is hardback, and does not have a dust jacket. The hard covers are laminated, making them slightly shiny.
3. Check the first inside page for a number sequence running: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. This number sequence is used by the publisher Bloomsbury to identify the edition of a book. If the sequence only goes to 2, then it is a second edition, not a first edition.