This is a list of printed books, manuscripts, letters, music scores, comic books, maps and other documents which have been sold for more than US$1 million. The dates of composition of the books range from the 7th-century Quran leaf palimpsest and the early 8th-century St Cuthbert Gospel, to a 21st-century autograph manuscript of J. K. Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard. The earliest printed book in the list is a Southern Song annotated woodblock edition of the Book of Tang printed c. 1234. The first book to achieve a sale price of greater than $1 million was a copy of the Gutenberg Bible which sold for $2.4 million in 1978.

The most copies of a single book sold for a price over $1 million is John James Audubon's The Birds of America (1827–1838), which is represented by eight different copies in this list.

Other books featured multiple times on the list are the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays with five separate copies and five separate broadside printings of the United States Declaration of Independence, the Gutenberg Bible and The North American Indian with four separate copies each, three copies of De revolutionibus orbium coelestium, two printings each of the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, two illustrated folios from the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp, two copies of the Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, Hortus Eystettensis, Geographia Cosmographia and William Caxton's English translation of Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye have also been repeatedly sold.

Abraham Lincoln and Isaac Newton are the most featured authors, with three separate works, while Albert Einstein, Martin Waldseemüller, George Washington, André Breton, Robert Schumann, and Charlotte Brontë have two separate works each.

Table of book sales Price (US$ millions)Title and descriptionAuthorYearPurchaserDate of saleImageRef(s)Inflation-adjustedOriginal$$43.2United States Constitution First printing. Previously owned by S. Howard Goldman.Founding Fathers of the United States at the Constitutional Convention1787Kenneth C. GriffinNovember 2021$$38.2Letters from Zhao Mengfu to his friend Guo Tianxi Two letters, sold as a set from Yuan dynasty artist Zhao Mengfu to his friendZhao Mengfu1254–1322November 2019$$38.1 Codex Sassoon 1053 A copy of the Hebrew Bible that is contemporary to the Aleppo Codex, and is almost complete and a century older than the Leningrad Codex –Late 9th centuryAlfred H. Moses for ANU - Museum of the Jewish PeopleMay 2023$$35Book of Mormon Printer's manuscript. Copy of original manuscript produced by Oliver Cowdery. Originally owned by David Whitmer.1830The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsSeptember 2017$$31.7Letter from Zeng Gong to his friend (júshì tiè 局事帖) Believed to be the only surviving original work by the Song dynasty scholar; written on the back of a sheet of paper used for woodblock printing. Previously owned by Xiang Yuanbian (1525–1590).Zeng GongWang ZhongjunMay 2016$$30.80Codex Leicester Notebook comprising a collection of scientific writings by Leonardo da Vinci, in his own hand. Previously owned by Giuseppe Ghezzi, Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester and Armand Hammer.Leonardo da Vinci1500sBill GatesNovember 1994$$21.32 Magna Carta 1297 exemplification of the 1216 charter, held by the Brudenell family and later the Perot Foundation. –1297David RubensteinDecember 2007$$21.21 Sherborne Missal Illuminated missal in use at Sherborne Abbey. Chiefly illuminated by John Siferwas. Previously owned by Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland. –Early 15th centuryThe British LibraryJune 2001$$17.06 "Book of Tang in detailed sections with glosses by 'Stone Wall Studio'". Woodblock printed edition. Copy previously owned by Cao Kun (1862–1938).Ouyang Xiu (comp.)Chén Jiàn 陳鑒 (ed.)1230sJune 2018$$14.34 St Cuthbert Gospel Pocket gospel book that was buried with Saint Cuthbert (d. 687), removed from his coffin in 1104 and kept at Durham Cathedral. Subsequently owned by Thomas Allen and the English Jesuit College. –The British LibraryApril 2012$$14.20Bay Psalm Book First book printed in what is now the United States. Originally owned by the Old South Church. –1640David RubensteinNovember 2013 $$13.60 Rothschild Prayerbook An illuminated book of hours once in the collections of Anselm Salomon von Rothschild (1803–1874) and his descendants. –Kerry StokesJanuary 2014$$13.20Einstein-Besso manuscript 54-page manuscript written jointly by Albert Einstein and Michele Besso. One of only two surviving manuscripts documenting the genesis of general relativity., November 2021$$12.15Illustrated folio from the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp From the illustrated manuscript of Ferdowsi's epic poem presented by Tahmasp to Selim II. Illustration attributed to Aqa Mirak. Previously owned by Edmond de Rothschild and Arthur A. Houghton Jr.April 2011$$12.14 Original typeset scroll of first draft of Jack Kerouac's On the Road.1951Zach BryanMarch 2026$$11.70Gospels of Henry the Lion Illuminated gospel book commissioned by Henry the Lion (1129/1131–1195) for use in Brunswick Cathedral.1175The German government with support from private donors; now held at the Herzog August LibraryDecember 1983$$11.57 The Birds of America One of 119 complete copies known to exist. Copy originally owned by Henry Witham (1779–1844).1827–1838London art dealer, Michael TollemacheDecember 2010$$10.00Waldseemüller map Only surviving copy of the first map to use the name "America" and showing that the Americas were separated from Asia by the Pacific Ocean.1507The Library of CongressJune 2003$$9.98 Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories & Tragedies First Folio edition with autograph letter of authentication by Edmond Malone (1741–1812). Previously owned by Mills College.1623Stephan LoewentheilOctober 2020$$9.83 Acts of Congress George Washington's personal copy of a printed edition of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, with annotations in his own hand. –1789Mount Vernon Ladies' AssociationJune 2012$$9.65 The Birds of America One of 119 complete copies known to exist. Copy originally owned by the 4th Duke of Portland (1768–1854).1827–1838an anonymous buyerJune 2018$$9.32 Babylonian Talmud One of 14 complete sets printed by Daniel Bomberg that are known to exist. Previously owned by Richard Bruerne, Westminster Abbey and the Valmadonna Trust Library. –1519–1523Stephan LoewentheilDecember 2015$$9.19 Yongle Encyclopedia () Two volumes (comprising chapters 2268–2269 and 7391–7392) of the manuscript copy of the Yongle Encyclopedia produced between 1562 and 1567 for the Jiajing Emperor. The original copy produced between 1403 and 1408 is now lost, and only about 400 of the 11,095 volumes of the 16th-century copy now survive. These two previously unrecorded volumes in private ownership in France were bought. –1567a Chinese collector from Zhejiang called Jīn Liàng 金亮July 2020$$9.12Superman #1 First issue of the first Superman comic book series. and Joe Shuster1939November 2025$$9.06Histoire de ma vie Autograph manuscript, including pages that at the time had never been published.Giacomo Casanova1789Bibliothèque nationale de FranceFebruary 2010$$8.80 "The Olympic Manifesto" Pierre de Coubertin's 14-page autograph manuscript for his 1892 speech outlining his vision for a modern revival of the ancient Olympic Games.1892Alisher Usmanov for the Olympic MuseumDecember 2019 $$8.80 The Birds of America One of 119 complete copies known to exist. Copy originally owned by George Lane Fox (1793–1848) and subsequently by John Crichton-Stuart, 4th Marquess of Bute1827–1838March 2000$$8.76 Quran Manuscript of the Quran written on coloured Chinese (Ming dynasty) paper speckled with gold flecks; produced under the Aq Qoyunlu Confederation (1378–1501) or the Timurid Empire (1370–1507). –15th centuryJune 2020$$8.31Luzzatto High Holiday Mahzor Illuminated Ashkenazi Jewish prayer book previously owned by Samuel David Luzzatto and the Alliance Israélite Universelle –Late 13th or early 14th centuryOctober 2021$$8.14United States Declaration of Independence Dunlap broadside #23. et al.1776a consortium of buyers including Norman LearJune 2000$$7.57 The Canterbury Tales First edition printed by William Caxton in 1477. Copy originally owned by John Radcliffe, then purchased by 4th Earl Fitzwilliam (1748–1833) in 1776 for £6.1477Maggs BrosJuly 1998$$7.00The 120 Days of Sodom Original manuscript. Previously owned by Charles de Noailles. Purchased by Gérard Lhéritier for the Musée des Lettres et Manuscrits. Later declared a French national treasure and removed from auction after Lhéritier's arrest for fraud.Marquis de Sade1785April 2014$$6.64 The Birds of America One of 119 complete copies known to exist. Copy originally owned by the Yorkshire Philosophical Society until 1946, and in possession of the Deerfield Academy from 1973 to 1985.1827–1838December 2019$$6.33 Illustrated folio from the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp From the illustrated manuscript of Ferdowsi's epic poem presented by Tahmasp to Selim II. Illustration attributed to Aqa Mirak. Previously owned by Edmond de Rothschild and Arthur A. Houghton Jr.March 2022$$6.20 The Deeds of Sir Gillion de Trazegnies in the Middle East Illuminated chivalric romance on vellum originally owned by Louis de Gruuthuse and subsequently by Louis XII of France and William Cavendish –1464December 2012$$6.17 Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories & Tragedies Third issue of the First Folio edition. Copy from the Library of Abel E. Berland; originally owned by Allen Puleston, then by the Dryden baronets of Canons Ashby.1623Paul AllenOctober 2001$$6.06 Letter from Francis Crick to his son Letter explaining "the secret of life" written more than a month before the public announcement of the discovery of DNA1953April 2013 $$6.00Action Comics #1 First appearance of Superman and Joe Shuster1938April 2024$$5.80 Northumberland Bestiary Previously owned by the Dukes of Northumberland. Purchased by an anonymous buyer; resold in June 2007 for an unknown amount to the J. Paul Getty Museum. –an anonymous buyerNovember 1990$$5.68 Symphony No. 2 (Resurrection) Autograph manuscript by the composer. Given by Alma Mahler to Willem Mengelberg. Later owned by Gilbert Kaplan.1894November 2016$$5.62 The Birds of America One of 119 complete copies known to exist. Copy owned by the Providence Athenaeum.1827–1838December 2005$$5.50Les Liliacées Copy owned by Empress Joséphine (1763–1814)1802November 1985$$5.39Gutenberg Bible Copy owned by Carrie Estelle Doheny (1875–1958), then donated to St. John's Seminary in California. Purchased by Japanese booksellers Maruzen; resold to Keio University in 1996 for an undisclosed sum. –1450–1455Japanese booksellers MaruzenOctober 1987$$5.17 Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories & Tragedies Third issue of the First Folio edition. Copy originally owned by William Bates (1625–1699), then acquired by Daniel Williams (c. 1643–1716) in 1699, and held at Dr Williams's Library in London from 1716 until the sale in 2006.1623London dealer, Simon Finch Rare BooksJuly 2006$$4.86 Quran Royal Mamluk Quran written for Sultan Qaitbay (1418–1496). Later owned by Hagop Kevorkian (1872–1962). –1489May 2019$$4.59 Burdett Psalter An illuminated psalter made for Jean de Villiers, who was 22nd Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller from 1285 until 1293. –13th centuryan anonymous private collectorJune 1998$$4.47 Traité des Arbres Fruitiers This copy painted between 1804 and 18091768December 2006$$4.45 Cornaro Missal An illuminated missal owned by Cardinal Marco Cornaro (1482–1524) and subsequently by Nathaniel Meyer von Rothschild (1836–1905) –1503July 1999$$4.42United States Declaration of Independence Official William J. Stone copy of the Declaration of Independence presented in 1824 to signer Charles Carroll of CarrolltonThomas Jefferson et al.1824July 2021$$4.34Nine Symphonies