The Asturian Translation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

The Asturian edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone—titled Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal—is one of the rarest and most sought-after translations in the world of Harry Potter collecting. Published by Ediciones Trabe and released on 15 December 2009, this little-known edition was made available exclusively in Asturias, a small autonomous region in northern Spain. So obscure is this translation that even many Asturians remain unaware of its existence.

Trabe is a publishing house devoted to promoting the Asturian language through the translation of significant works of world literature—examples of their translated works include A Clockwork Orange, The Lord of the Rings, and The Neverending Story. Once they secured the rights to publish the first Harry Potter book—for just €500—the project became a natural continuation of that mission. Though it was long believed that 700 copies were printed (based on estimates from the translator), I was able to confirm directly with Trabe’s owner, Samuel Castro, that the true print run was just 500 copies. Due to Asturian's status as a non-official regional language with around 250,000 speakers, Trabe typically prints only 300–500 copies per title.

The translation was handled by Xesús González Rato, one of the most respected literary translators working in Asturian. Rato had previously translated titles such as Asterix, The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep, The Neverending Story, and Ender’s Game—and was trusted to bring Harry Potter faithfully into the Asturian language. One professional linguist I spoke with described his work on this edition as “an excellent translation.”

Upon release, the book sold surprisingly well—not only to readers in Asturias, but also to collectors across Spain and internationally, with copies being shipped to Germany, France, and the USA. The cover illustration, created digitally by publisher Samuel Castro, is now considered iconic among translation collectors. His goal was to include numerous key elements from the story—some deliberately hidden, like a centaur in the forest—and to use vibrant, dynamic colours to make the artwork stand out.

Due to its extremely limited print run, lack of any reprints, and growing global interest in rare Harry Potter editions, the Asturian translation has become one of the most valuable collector’s items in the translation world. The first known copy to appear on eBay—auctioned by Peter Kenneth (The Potter Collector)—sold for approximately £750. Since then, prices have climbed and as of 2025 it is now considered a four figure book.