Signed first edition of “The Cuckoo’s Calling” sold for 2,950 GBP

The Telegraph has just reported that a first edition of The Cuckoo’s Calling signed by “Robert Galbraith,” J.K. Rowling’s pen name, has sold for 2,950 GBP. The book was sold through AbeBooks, a UK website that specializes in secondhand and rare books. Another signed first edition is for sale on the website for 3,950 GBP and unsigned editions have sold for as much as 600 GBP. Signed and unsigned copies of the books have also been sold on eBay, with a signed copy selling for 1,795 GBP.

Only 1,500 copies of The Cuckoo’s Calling are believed to have been printed, which will likely cause prices for first editions to increase further. Richard Davies from AbeBooks says: “First editions are going to be very attractive for many people, as signed copies appear to be extremely scarce and already commanding premium prices.”

Signed first editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone have been sold for thousands of pounds. This is mostly due to the fact that the initial print consisted of only 500 copies and most of those copies ended up in public libraries. AbeBooks recently sold a signed first edition for $37,000.

How much would you be willing to spend for a signed first edition of a J.K. Rowling novel? How much for a signed Harry Potter book? Let us know!