Rare 1953 James Bond book bought for £1 at car boot sale sells for £10,000 (Image Credit: Wikipedia)
The auction house announced the discovery on June 11, 2024, estimating that the book could fetch between £10,000 and £15,000. The book subsequently remained inside a box for years. When she eventually began clearing out her belongings, she came across the old purchase and searched for its title online. Realising it could be valuable, she contacted Chris Surfleet of auction house Adam Partridge, who identified it as a clean first edition with its original dust jacket.
A book bought for just £1 at a UK car boot sale turned out to be a rare first edition of Casino Royale, the 1953 novel that introduced readers to James Bond. The copy, which retained its original dust jacket, eventually sold for £10,000 at auction, turning an ordinary second-hand purchase into a remarkable discovery. The buyer had picked up the book while visiting family in Yorkshire around 10 years before the auction, according to the Antiques Trade Gazette. It also retained the original price of 10 shillings and sixpence on both the front and rear flaps. The 1953 edition was one of only 4,750 copies printed, according to Adam Partridge.
The absence of a Times review on the front flap helped identify the dust jacket as a first-state version used on early copies, according to the Antiques Trade Gazette. The story highlights how overlooked books can command substantial sums when their edition, condition and publishing history make them desirable to collectors. The auctioned copy was a first edition, first impression, retaining its original dust jacket. its survival added to the book’s appeal Although the jacket had a few minor tears.