Doodled Harry Potter book bought for 50p in charity shop sells at auction for £15,500

A battered and bruised first edition Harry Potter book, bought for 50p in a charity shop, has sold at auction for a whopping £15,500.

The rare hardback copy of The Philosopher’s Stone, the first of J.K Rowling's internationally-known series, was purchased at a charity shop in South Manchester.

The well-read children's book, covered in doodles of the boy wizard, is one of only 500 in the first Potter print run back in 1997.

Bidders from across the globe took part in the auction battle which broke out at Hansons, in Derbyshire, on Wednesday, 9 March.

The hammer finally fell at £15,500 to an online USA bidder – more than five times its top estimate of £2,000-£3,000.

The seller, a Manchester businessman who wishes to remain anonymous, said he is "astounded" that it sold for such a high price.

He said: “I know it’s a piece of modern history but the result is extraordinary.I bought it from a charity shop last November. I didn’t realise it was a first edition.

"I just spotted the back cover with the image of the wizard and thought it looked interesting. It was only 50p."

During the same sale, the auction house sold a pristine copy of the same book - which had been kept by a collector in a dark room with a protective case - for £69,000.

Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers and auctioneer, said: “What a battle for the battered and bruised Potter! We’re calling it the Mancunian Potter because it was found in a charity shop in the city.

“In my opinion, it deserves to be in a museum. Those doodles, penned by a child who loved the book and its characters, encapsulate the power of the Potter phenomenon.

"It really is quite charming. I’m absolutely delighted for the seller – and the buyer who has purchased a piece of book history.”