On what date was Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone first published?

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was first published on 26 June 1997. Bloomsbury released J.K. Rowling’s debut novel in the United Kingdom, beginning the publication history of the Harry Potter series.

The first edition was a children’s fantasy novel about an orphan who discovers that he is a wizard and attends Hogwarts. Its publication followed years in which Rowling developed the idea and wrote the manuscript, including during periods when she was living in Portugal and Scotland.

The book became a major commercial success and won several children’s-book awards. International editions followed, including the American version retitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The film adaptation arrived in 2001, but the 1997 date belongs to the original British book publication.