5 Most Expensive Books in The World

Share

Books we all read but the importance of books only known to the person who wrote & read books. There will be very few of us who are desperate to buy book even before its release. There are some books in the world knowing the value of which you will not able to believe that it really worth so much?

So, lets have a look to the most expensive books in the world:

1. Codex Leicester, Leonardo da Vinci ($30.8 million)

Share

The Codex Leicester contains handwritten musings and theories on a wide variety of topics, such as the movement of water, why the moon glows and even fossils written by Leonardo da Vinci. The book is of 72 pages in total.

Thomas Cook purchased the first manuscript in 1717 that later became Earl of Leicester, hence the name of the manuscript. In 1980 the manuscript went in the hands of art collector Armand Hammer who held this book for 14 years. Now Bill Gates who paid $30.8 million at Christie’s auction house in New York currently owns this book, which is a world record.

2. The Magna Carta (original exemplar) ($21.2 million)

Share

Magna Carta Libertatum is a charter of rights drafted by the Archbishop of Canterbury and agreed to by King John of England, to make peace between him and a group of rebellious barons.

In 2007 an original copy of Magna Carta was purchased at auction for 20.1 million Euros. The buyer is rumoured to be David Rubenstein. Currently, it is worth $21.2 million.

3. St Cuthbert Gospel ($14.3 million)

Share

The St. Cuthbert Gospel is a pocket gospel book written in Latin from the 8th century. Also known as The Stonyhurst Gospel.

What makes this book unique it’s finely decorated leather binding, which is one of the first examples of bookbinding in the world. The British Library has acquired this book for $14.3 million in 2012.

4. Bay Psalm Book ($14 million)

Share

The ‘Bay Psalm Book’ is probably best known for being first book ever printed in British North America and it was first printed in 1640 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

As per the records, as of now, there are just 11 copies of the Bay Psalm Book one of which was sold at auction in 2013 for $14 million! An American financier David Rubenstein from Old South Church in Boston bought it.

5. Rothschild Prayer Book ($13.4 million)

Share

This book is a very influential manuscript book of hours and is compiled by numerous artists. It is a part of an elite group of manuscripts-deluxe completed between 1490 and 1520.

Purchased by an Australian businessman, Kerry Stokes, from an auction at Christie’s New York by paying an immense amount of $13.4 million, is an extreme rate book. It is also called Rothschild Hours.