The most expensive book in the world is one that has a remarkable influence on the world and also has a rarity. The value itself continues to increase from time to time. However, the current price has become jaw-dropping price tags attached to the book itself.
Are you someone who loves books? If not, books that are not valued alone will make you lazy to buy them. But, if you are a fan of information and knowledge, you will quickly pay for books.
The most expensive books to date are the books that have had the most significant impact on the world of knowledge. That’s why it’s worth more than $50 million. You will find a list of essential books to learn, which is also why it is a valuable document.
The books on this list are also hundreds of years old. The value is attached to them and always increases with time. If you are curious about the price tags of these books, then possess yourself first to read all the books on this list comfortably.
Top 10 Rarest and Most Expensive Book in the World
Many say that the book is worthless, its value is too high, so there is no little money to represent it. But that is a figure of speech because there are still benchmarks. Including stock and age, which we will explain in more detail below:
10. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer – $12 million
In 10th place by inflation-adjusted price is The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, at around $12 million. British billionaire and philanthropist John Paul Getty Jr. bought this edition for $7.5 million only, but the price increased to a higher value.
The Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer, is a classic that describes the classic era. What makes it expensive is that there are only 12 copies. It’s no wonder that this immediately became the top 10 of the rarest and most expensive book in the world.
9. The Gutenberg Bible – $12.43 million
The Gutenberg Bible became the first complete book to be printed using movable type. Published by Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press in 1455, only 45 copies are known to exist. Furthermore, only 21 documents were complete.
8. Birds of America by John James Audubon – $13.8 million
John James Audubon once traveled across the United States and began studying native bird species and other wildlife. And that’s what makes it worth $13.8 million, 8th in the most expensive book in the world.
Birds of America is a four-volume masterpiece of which only 119 copies are known. Most of which are owned by libraries and museums, collections of naturalists and scientists. In 2010, the highest bid for one copy of Birds of America was $11.5 million, or $13.8 million.
7. The Rothschild Prayerbook – $15.3 million
The Rothschild Prayerbook is a manuscript that began to appear in the 16th century. It is lined with gold and filled with paintings and illustrations by master Renaissance artists. It’s named after the book wealthy Rothschild family to be most expensive book in the world.
Nazis stole this book in 1938, and Hitler gave it to the National Library in Vienna in 1942. However, when the war ended, the library refused to return it to the Rothschilds. It was finally returned to its rightful owners in 1999 and sold in 2014 billionaire Australian for $13.6 million.
6. The Bay Psalm Book – $16 million
The Bay Psalm Book was the first book printed in British North America and was published in 1640. Eleven copies are known to exist, and one was sold in 2013. David Rubenstein bought it, priced at 6th on the most expensive book in the world.
5. The St. Cuthbert Gospel – $16.1 million
In 5th place, there is the St. Cuthbert Gospel, which is worth around $ 16.1 million. This book contains about the past, and even the writing uses Greek. It had been buried with its writer in 687, St. Cuthbert, but rediscovered in 1104.
At that time, St. Cuthbert moved from a grave to a shrine. So that’s also what made this book move too. The text was owned privately by countries, and today, the book is at the Jesuit Community in Belgium and be 4th in the most expensive book in the world.
4. The Magna Carta – $26.9 million
The Magna Carta is a royal charter of rights signed by King John of England. It was the first document that declared the king and overture were not above the law. David Rubenstein paid $21.3 million to ensure that a 1297 version of this document stays in the US.
3. The Gospels of Henry the Lion – $30.73 million
The Gospels of Henry the Lion held the title ever held the title of the most expensive book in the world. The gospel book was intended by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony, for the altar of the Virgin Mary. This masterpiece was also sold by auction in 1983.
2. The Book of Mormon – $37.35 million
The Book of Mormon is the most expensive religious text ever sold. In 2017, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints spent $35 million on this manuscript. And that text was used to print the earliest modern version of the contemporary version of the book of Mormon.
1. Codex Leicester by Leonardo da Vinci – $54.4 million
Now arriving at the first place of the most expensive book in the world, the Codex Leicester. Bill Gates bought this book in 1994 for $30.8 million, equivalent to $54.4 million today.
This book was unique because it was essentially Leonardo da Vinci’s science diary. Created in 1510, it contains da Vinci’s drawings, theories, and observations. After his purchase, Gates had the Codex scanned and made screen savers and wallpapers for Windows 98 Plus.
While most book lovers will never own a copy of the rarest book, it is also essential to know the most expensive book. At the moment, if you want the most expensive book in the world, indeed the number of copies is very rare or impossible to get.
