Roald Dahl's children's books could be worth up to £12k - these are the most valuable

Do you have any of these books lying around? (Photo: Ronald Dumont/Getty Images/Roald Dahl Museum)
Do you have any of these books lying around? (Photo: Ronald Dumont/Getty Images/Roald Dahl Museum)
Do you have any of these books lying around? (Photo: Ronald Dumont/Getty Images/Roald Dahl Museum)

Roald Dahl is one of the most recognised names in children’s literature, penning classics like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG and The Witches - all of which have been adapted for the screen.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the cinematic release of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, online antiques marketplace LoveAntiques have issued a guide to the most valuable books written by Dahl, and how much they could fetch you.

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What are the most valuable books?

The guide outlines how the condition of the book can increase its value, and how an inscribed copy can also increase its value by more than 900 per cent on average.

The top five most valuable books are:

  • The Gremlins tops the list, valued at £12,500 (First UK edition with first US edition from 1943)
  • Next is The Witches, valued at £6,750 (First edition, first impression. Presentation copy)
  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator rounds out the top three, valued at £4,250 (First US edition, signed and inscribed)
  • The Magic Finger, valued at £3,750, is next (First UK edition, first impression and inscribed)
  • Finalising the top five is Someone Like You, valued at £3,750 (First edition, first printing. Presentation copy, inscribed)

‘An incredible author’

Will Thomas, from LoveAntiques.com, said: “Willy Wonka is such a classic film, I’d even say it’s at cult status.

“There’s no wonder why it’s so universally loved. Roald Dahl was such an incredible author with the ability to capture the imagination of both adults and the naughtiest child alike, which is why we wanted to celebrate the 50th cinematic anniversary of one of his most famous stories.”

Sold more than 250 million books

Roald Dahl was a British writer whose books have sold more than 250 million copies around the world.

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Dahl, born in Wales to Norwegian parents, served in the Royal Air Force during WWII and it was in the 1940s that he rose to prominence as a writer.

While he has written a range of works for adults, he is best known for his children’s stories.

Dahl passed away on 23 November 1990 at age 74 from a rare cancer of the blood called myelodysplastic syndrome.

He was buried in the cemetery at the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire in England.

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