Harry Potter first edition fetches $18,000

A Harry Potter first edition sold for $18,000 at auction this week. The winning bidder at the London auction was anonymous.

The publishers produced between 500 and 1,000 copies in the book's first run.

That a book that is relatively new would fetch such large amounts is unprecedented, said Luke Battenham, Bonhams' book specialist.

"The author is still alive, it's a fairly new series ... but by the time there was a third book, you could already see it would be a hit," Battenham said. "It's a phenomenon."

Bonhams auctioneers had estimated the book would sell for between $10,000 and $20,000.