"James Constantinou, owner of Prestige Pawnbrokers and star of Channel 4's Posh Pawn, told Business Matters his chain has seen a 300 per cent increase in book submissions this year. "Books are now being treated like art, jewellery or watches - rare cultural items that hold and grow in value," he said. "People are starting to realise just how much hidden wealth they have at home.""
"First-edition Harry Potter books are among the most lucrative, with pristine copies of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone from its original US print run fetching more than £10,000 in loans. "Harry Potter continues to make magic returns," Constantinou said. "A flawless first edition recently secured a £10,000 loan, and demand for Rowling's early work remains strong." It isn't just modern blockbusters driving the boom."
UK pawnbrokers are experiencing a surge in submissions of rare and mint-condition books, with Prestige Pawnbrokers reporting a 300 per cent increase this year. First-edition Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone pristine copies can secure loans exceeding £10,000. Works by Dostoevsky and Paul Dirac have been valued around £4,000, while Enid Blyton first editions command up to £1,000. A first edition of Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows recently sold for £32,400. Mint-condition books are increasingly treated as tangible investment assets comparable to art, jewellery, or watches. Valuations for rare books are rising by 5–7 per cent annually.
Read at Business Matters
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