The Rarest Book in the World and Other Bibliophilic Factoids (2024)

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The Rarest Book in the World and Other Bibliophilic Factoids? ›

The rarest book in the world is a 1593 first edition of Venus and Adonis by William Shakespeare. The Bodleian's copy "is the only known copy of this book in existence."

Some of the rarest books include the Gutenberg Bible, the first major book printed with movable type, valued at over $30 million; Shakespeare's First Folio, a collection of his plays, often auctioned for $6 million or more; and the Bay Psalm Book, the first book printed in British North America, which sold for $14.2 ...

Heavenly Gaze

The rarest book in the Bibliophile quest cannot be crafted until near the end of the game.

The Codex Leicester is the rarest book on this list and in existence because there is only one copy. After da Vinci's death, his personal notebook was passed on to different consequential people. First, it went to Guglielmo della Porta, then Giuseppe Ghezzi, followed by the first Earl of Leicester, Thomas co*ke.

Many call the fifteenth-century codex, commonly known as the “Voynich Manuscript,” the world's most mysterious book.

1. The Codex Leicester by Leonardo da Vinci. The Codex Leicester, an extraordinary manuscript by Leonardo da Vinci, stands as a testament to the genius of the Renaissance master. This renowned compilation of scientific writings, sketches, and observations spans a range of subjects from astronomy to water movement.

But, it is not the Bible but rather a Buddhist text that owns the feather to the cap of being the World's oldest book. The Diamond Sutra, also known as the 'Diamond Cutter Sutra' or 'Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra,' is a remarkable Buddhist text and is considered the world's oldest printed book.

According to Guinness World Records as of 1995, the Bible is the best sold book of all time with an estimated 5 billion copies sold and distributed.

The Codex Leicester is possibly the most expensive book in the world. The book comprises Leonardo's thoughts and theories on various topics, from astronomy to the nature of water.

The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library holds one of the largest and most dynamic collections of rare books and manuscripts in the world. Its holdings draw hundreds of scholars, artists, and critics from around the world to the reading room each year.

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Codex Leicester by Leonardo da Vinci

When Bill Gates purchased the Codex Leicester in 1994 for $30.8 million, it became the most expensive book ever sold.

The Crosby-Schøyen Codex

Give your feedback below or email. A nearly 1,800-year-old manuscript billed as the world's oldest book in private hands—and the earliest Christian liturgical book in existence—sold for £3.065 million (US$3.9 million) Tuesday at Christie's in London.

The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library (/ˈbaɪnɪki/) is the rare book library and literary archive of the Yale University Library in New Haven, Connecticut.

The Bible. Apparently, thieves missed the "Thou shalt not steal" part of the Ten Commandments. According to experts, the Bible is the most commonly stolen book.

The most read book in the world is the Bible, with over 5 billion copies sold and distributed. It is estimated that the Bible is read by more people and in more languages than any other book.

The Voynich manuscript is an illustrated codex, hand-written in an unknown script referred to as Voynichese.

Codex Sassoon by an unknown scribe

After owning the Codex Sassoon since 1989, Swiss financier and collector Jacqui Safra put it up for auction at Sotheby's in 2023, where it fetched a record-breaking $38.1 million, making it the most expensive book in the world and the book that has sold for the most money.

The earliest surviving written literature is from ancient Mesopotamia. The Epic of Gilgamesh is often cited as the first great composition, although some shorter compositions have survived that are even earlier (notably the “Kesh Temple Hymn” and “The Instructions of Shuruppak”).