I’ve said it once, I’ve said it twice, and I’ll probably say it a hundred more times on this blog- I love Harry Potter. Despite the views of JK Rowling, I have chosen to remain a part of the fandom. My full explanation/thoughts on the whole situation can be found here. But with everything in mind, I’ve decided to approach my purchasing of Harry Potter merchandise differently.

One thing I have started doing more and more is purchasing secondhand Harry Potter items. I think it’s a great way to help out someone who might be struggling financially as well as helping donation centers from getting fuller and finally, buying secondhand items doesn’t put any additional money into JKR’s pocket. So I’ve been saving money and also helping others in the process, which is a good feeling all around! I’ve also started researching more small businesses and subscription boxes that have handmade products from small businesses. Through this, I have discovered some amazing small businesses that I fully intend on sharing with all of you! So keep an eye out for those posts sprinkled throughout the next few months.

So this book that I’m sharing with you today is one of those secondhand purchases and honestly, it was something I never thought I would own in my wildest dreams. It is the limited collector’s edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard!

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To be perfectly honest, I didn’t know much about it when I first saw it. I just knew that one of my favorite YouTubers had shown it on his channel and I wanted it. Since Peter a.k.a. The Potter Collector can explain it better than I ever could, I’m linking his video on this book here. Give it a watch and also watch some of this other videos! He is a really sweet guy and his passion for Harry Potter shines through in every video he makes!

So I won’t say how much I paid for the copy I purchased, partially to avoid being judged for making such a pricey purchase during a global pandemic and partially so my mom, who reads my blogs and is one of the most frugal ladies I know, doesn’t die from sticker shock! All I will say is I paid more than it was originally priced, but nowhere near as much as some of them have sold for… so I guess in a way I was being frugal just like my mom! But if anyone wants to play the Price Is Right game Higher or Lower, leave your guess below and I’ll let you know if it was higher or lower than your guess! Just know that I didn’t take purchasing this lightly, I thought about it long and hard. But after seeing the prices of all the other ones that were up for sale online and considering the impeccable condition mine is in, I knew I probably wouldn’t have another opportunity to purchase one in this condition for the price I got mine at. So I took the opportunity and don’t regret it! I plan on getting a glass display case one day to put this book and other special Harry Potter items in so they stay nice and dust free!

But now onto the book itself! The outside cover is big and beautiful. It is fake leather (which I’m happy about it) and the cover design is embossed on it. And when you open it, it’s just as beautiful on the inside!

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There is a pocket for the prints that only come with this edition! The book is safely nestled inside the red velvet pouch that has JKR’s signature sewn on it in gold. This inside screams quality and definitely explains the original price tag for it!

So the first photo of the slideshow is the book itself and it is stunning. The detailing from the blue gems to the ornate pieces and the skull… there’s nothing about it I don’t love! And what’s even cooler is that the book is latched close, so you have to open it like it’s an ancient tome, which is a detail that I personally feel more books should have! The second photo is showing the inside cover of the book and then the third photo is the table of contents. I love the font used on these pages. I’m a huge fan of when books use unique fonts. The fourth and final page is of JKR’s signature and showing the year she wrote it. 2008 seems so far away, doesn’t it?

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Finally we come to the prints, which are all printed on high quality paper and are stunning. I plan on framing all of them one day, but in the meantime I will keep them safely in the envelope they came in (also pictured). The Tales of Beedle the Bard is essentially a children’s book, so these same illustrations are also in the book! I think the addition of illustrations makes it extra special.

So what does everyone think? Would you have paid the $100 for it when it came out? Or is that price tag too high for a book in your opinion? Also, I didn’t include any photos of the story pages jus because the font is the same as the front page and the illustrations are the same as the ones I did picture above. So I wanted to avoid redundancy because I knew this was going to be a lengthy post! I hope everyone has a magical week!