A dad-of-three called Harry Potter is celebrating the sale of his rare copy of JK Rowling’s first book.

Harry’s first edition copy of the Philosopher’s Stone sold for a whopping £27,500 at auction.

His dad, David, bought the rare book 24-years-ago because his then eight-year-old son’s name was in the title.

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The hardback copy is one of only 500 made in the first print run of the novel, which was released in June 1997.

Harry kept the rare book in a sandwich bag under the stairs at his home for several years following the death of his dad from cancer in 2017.

He decided to sell the novel in order to raise money to scatter his father’s ashes in Africa – his final wish.

The book was sold to a private UK buyer at Hansons Auctioneers, in Etwall, Derbs, for a hammer price of £22,000

Plus buyer’s premium, the total sale came to a magical £27,500.

Harry, 33, from Waterlooville, Hamps, who attended the sale, said: “I’m happy it sold.

“We plan to use the proceeds to take my dad’s ashes to Kenya.”

Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, added: “We’re delighted to deliver a happy ending, and add a new chapter to the Potter story.

“Considering its well-used, well-loved condition, the book did extremely well. I’m so pleased Harry and Katie can now use the proceeds to honour their father.

“And I’m delighted Hansons’ has sprinkled yet more Potter magic. It’s all down to the hard work of our hugely respected books expert Jim Spencer.

“He has uncovered and sold several rare Potter books and gained a formidable worldwide reputation for his expertise.”

The sales manager previously told how has spent the last 25 years trying to convince people that his name really is the same as the fictional boy wizard.

He said: “People just don’t believe me.

“When I was a young footballer, a referee threatened me with a red card for saying my name was Harry Potter.

“When I met my wife, Philippa on holiday in Greece, she didn’t believe me either.

“People think it’s a wind up. I’ve had the Mick taken out of me over the years but you get used to it.

“I’m quite outgoing and I’ve handled it pretty well, plus it has its pros.

“When I was 12 and the first Potter film was released, we were invited to be family of the week on the Big Breakfast TV show.

“I met lots of stars including Gwen Stefani and Ben Stiller.

“My current boss, Steve Barrett assumed my surname was Shaw because that’s my mum’s new married name and she works for him.

“When he found out I’m called Harry Potter he said he should have paid me more because people would always remember me.

“When you ring someone up and they ask your name they usually dissolve into laughter or say ‘you’re joking’. It makes making a complaint quite difficult.

“We think now’s the time to use the money to benefit our families and do something dad wanted.

“I have three small children – Hugo, five, Arthur, two and Maggie, 19 weeks – and my sister Katie has Freddie.

“Funnily enough Hugo and Arthur are both names of characters in Potter books but the choice was accidental.”

Proceeds from the sale of the book will also be shared with Harry’s sister Katie Sign, 36, an accountant and mum to Freddie, one, from Waterlooville.

Being four years older than Harry, she said she has vivid memories of the book’s arrival at the family home in 1997.

Katie said: “I remember dad bursting through the front door after work brandishing a book, proclaiming ‘you’ll never believe what I’ve got!’.

“At first glance we were confused. Had someone written a book for Harry? Our Harry Potter?

“Dad explained that he’d heard Terry Wogan mention Harry Potter on Radio 2 and, once he had gathered Terry was referring to an award-winning children’s’ book – not his then eight-year-old son – he turned his van round, drove straight to Bay Tree Bookshop in Waterlooville and bought us a copy.

“The novelty and coincidence of the namesake was what made us open that first book but the magic of the story kept us turning the pages for years.

“Harry was eight and I was 12 when we first read the books together.

“The book had pride of place on the windowsill next to my bed, and was eventually joined by the whole collection.

“They’ve stayed on a shelf or a windowsill in every house I’ve lived in for 20 years. It was treasure to us long before it had any value to the rest of the world.

“Our dad passed away at the age of 71 after a long battle with cancer in October 2017, and we love and miss him dearly.

“It was shortly after this we realised the old book we’d loved and treasured for 20 years was a sought-after first edition copy.

“Our dad was a wise and loving man who believed the richest people were those who lived life to its fullest, and that experience had more value than money.

“Selling the book then, despite its financial value, was of no interest to us.

“It was one of few lasting, tangible treasures we had from our dad.

“So, the book was retired to a protective sandwich bag in the cupboard under the stairs, and there it remained for four years.

“Over time we realised the book had changed for us.

“We knew rare first editions were selling for tens of thousands of pounds. It wasn’t any longer something we could enjoy, or love, without fear of damaging it.

“We aren’t investors or collectors, we’re two grown-up kids who would like to enjoy life the way our dad prescribed – to its fullest.

“The book is the legacy dad left us to do that.

“With the proceeds from the sale, we would like to take dad’s ashes to Africa, the place he asked to finally rest, where we can make new and fantastic memories with our own children and families.”

Katie, who’s married to Olympic sailor Alain Sign, added: “Freddie’s middle name is George. We chose it because we thought it just sounded right.

“Later we realised it sounded right because of Fred and George, the Weasley twins in the Potter books.

“Being Harry Potter’s sister has been hilarious – mad at times.

“When I told people my name was Katie Potter they’d often say, ‘Have you got a brother called Harry’ and I’d have to say ‘yes’.

“I know there are one or two other Harry Potters in the UK but, as far as I’m aware, only a couple were given the name before the Potter books came out.”

Speaking to Mirror Money, Matthew Haley, head of books at auction house Bonhams, explained: “Bonhams sold a set of first editions of the Harry Potter books in 2005 for £14,400, and on two occasions in 2007 sold copies of The Philosopher’s Stone for £9,000. That first book in the series is worth hugely more than the subsequent volumes, and condition is everything. More recently first editions of the first book in fair condition have sold for around £4,000. Obviously genuine signatures or even better inscriptions by JK Rowling can add tremendously to the value.”

As the book series goes on, the less the first editions are valued – novels after Chamber of Secrets range from around £1000 down to less than a tenner – in that order. This is simply because of the sheer volume that was produced due to the ever-increasing popularity of the series as it went on.

The first two books are of particular interest, so readers should look out for the “Joanne Rowling” credit in Philosopher’s Stone alongside the print line “10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1.” As for Chamber, it was published in 1998 and the first copies can sell for over £1000. Early versions of the deluxe editions also make thousands, while standard early print versions sell for a similar price.

After going dark last holiday season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Grinchmas and Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will return to Universal Studios Hollywood starting Friday, Nov. 26 with the festivities running daily through Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022.

The Grinch, his trusty dog Max and all the citizens of Whoville will be out spreading holiday cheer in the Universal Plaza. They’ll be performing live shows and hosting readings of Dr. Seuss’ beloved holiday classic, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” The 65-foot-tall Grinchmas Tree, decked out with hundreds of ornaments and thousands of lights, will light up nightly and be accompanied by a flurry of snowfall. Grinch-themed treats and hot cocoa will be available for purchase.

Over in Hogsmeade Village, it will be Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter as each storefront will be decorated in holiday decor and lights. Guests can experience a cappella performances by the Hogwarts Frog Choir, enjoy the seasonal Hot Butterbeer and nosh on savory festive eats at the Three Broomsticks. At dusk, The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle show will engulf the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with holiday imagery and music from the “Harry Potter” film series.

All holiday activities are included in the price of theme park admission. Tickets are $99-$134 California resident general admission; $169-$279 California resident Universal Express; $109-$134 general admission; $179-$279 Universal Express. All passes are available at universalstudioshollywood.com.

In addition to what’s happening inside the park, the adjacent CityWalk will also undergo a holiday transformation with lots of decor and a 40-foot-tall Christmas tree with over 200,000 LED lights, which will stand in front of the Universal Cinema.

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• A rare “Harry Potter” first edition was sold at auction for $90,000 on Wednesday.
• The seller almost threw the book out because it came out without a dust cover, he said, per reports.
• To preserve the “poor quality” pages, he refused to let his daughter read the book and shielded it from sunlight for 25 years.

A British father who nearly threw out a rare Harry Potter first edition has sold it at auction for £69,000 ($89,966), according to reports.

The seller, a 68-year-old paper merchant director from West Sussex, England, pre-ordered the first edition of JK Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” from a bookstore in 1997, according to the British broadcaster ITV.

He bought it for £12.99 ($16.94) but almost returned it because it came without a dust jacket, the unnamed seller told ITV.

“I’m a collector, and, being the first edition, I expected it to have one,” he said, according to the broadcaster. “I decided to keep the book on the toss of a coin. It was a moment of destiny.”

The seller later found out the hardback first issues of the “Philosopher’s Stone,” called the “Sorcerer’s Stone” in the US, did not come with a dust cover. 

The 68-year-old went through great efforts to preserve the first edition because the paper in the book was “poor quality,” he said, per the Stoke Sentinel.

Jacob King/PA Images via Getty Images)

It included keeping it in darkness for 25 years to stop the sunlight from turning the pages brown, the local media outlet reported.

He also made sure that it was never read, much to his daughter’s dismay, the Stoke Sentinel said.

“A year after I bought it, with Harry Potter excitement growing at my daughter’s school, she asked if she could read it. I said, ‘no, absolutely not,'” the seller said, per the Sentinel. Instead, he added, he bought her another copy.

The book sold to an online American buyer after a fierce bidding war on Wednesday at Hansons Auctioneers’ saleroom, ITV reported.

“This is the highest hammer price we have achieved so far and deservedly so,” said auctioneer Jim Spencer, per ITV.”It was the best hardback first edition of ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ I have ever seen.”

Fijian-Australian powerhouse Nemani Nadolo is set to join the Waratahs on a one-year deal next season.

Twelve years after he was cut adrift by NSW, the Sigatoka-born, Brisbane-raised winger will join Test fullback Kurtley Beale in a return to Daceyville to add international class and devastating power to the Waratahs’ back line in 2023.

The 30-Test Fjii international has scored 15 tries in 33 appearances so far for UK Premiership side Leicester, becoming a cult hero among the club’s fans and attracting singular praise from revered coach Steve Borthwick, who said of Nadolo: “He can do things that I have not seen before”.

In an indication of his potential value to a NSW back line that is still finding its feet, Nadolo’s presence at Welford Road is credited with bringing through top young backs Guy Porter and Harry Potter – both of whom, incidentally, are Australian. His 195cm, 138kg frame won’t go astray, either, if the Waratahs want to take their promising 2022 form to the next level.