Most valuable Roald Dahl books revealed The Gremlins tops the list at over £12k

One of the most iconic authors of all time, Roald Dahl has long-boasted a fanciful and fantastic catalogue of books, collectibles, and stories - and what story is more awe-inspiring than the classic Charlie & The Chocolate Factory - a story so good they didn’t just make one film, but two!

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first cinematic reproduction of the book, we decided to look at how much some of Dahl’s greatest stories are worth as antiques/collectibles in today’s market - and the amount of money people might have stashed away in old Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory memorabilia just sitting on that bookcase. 

The list includes valuable copies of various Roald Dahl children's’ classics, such as; The Witches, The BFG, and The Gremlins - which some might be surprised to discover is his most valuable book at £12,500!

The 10 most valuable Roald Dahl books, and their estimated value, are as follows:

1. The Gremlins - £12,500 - 1944 First UK edition with first US edition from 1943.

1. The Witches - £6,750 - First edition, first impression. Presentation copy.

1. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator - £4,250 – First US edition, signed and inscribed.

1. The Magic Finger - £3,750 - First UK edition, first impression and inscribed.

1. Someone Like You - £3,750 - First edition, first printing. Presentation copy, inscribed.

1. The BFG - £3,250 - First edition, first impression.

1. James and The Giant Peach - £3,000 - First edition, first printing, with the five-line colophon on the last page.

1. Boy - £3,000 - First edition, first impression, presentation copy.

1. The Twits - £3,000 - First edition, first impression, inscribed by the author.

1. Fantastic Mr Fox - £2,950 - First edition, first printing.

When delving deeper into which Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory memorabilia was the most valuable in today’s market, we found that Willy Wonka’s top hat signed by Gene Wilder is currently on sale for £1173.51 and Gene Wilder Signed Golden Tickets are on for £1,501.64. Additionally, the Golden Ticket announcement from the 2005 version of the film is currently on sale for £300.

On top of collating the list, we’ve also written a short guide for anyone who’s thinking about starting their own book memorabilia collection. 

• When looking at collecting items such as books, the completeness and integrity of the item is key. 
• Memorabilia without its original packaging or books with pages missing for example could significantly reduce the amount of money an item could fetch should the objective be to make a profit.
• Always check the spine - the spine of a book, particularly earlier collectible editions is key - once you’ve confirmed everything is there, the spine should be your next port of call. 
• Confirm authenticity before purchasing - when buying any collectible item, whether it be a signed jersey or a first edition Charlie & the Chocolate Factory book, ensuring the item is genuine is of the utmost importance.
• Looking into pricing data for the books, it shows that an inscribed copy of a book can increase the value by more than 900%, on average. Keeping an eye out for signed books can be the key to turning a good deal into a great one.

Will Thomas of 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.”