These are the most expensive books ever purchased by a human being.
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See also, The three most expensive pens in the world (https://www.nairaland.com/3729752/three-most-expensive-pens-world#55371480)

1. The Codex Leicester, Leonardo da Vinci — $30.8 million

The most famous of da Vinci’s scientific journals, the 72-page notebook is filled with the great thinker’s handwritten musings and theories on everything from fossils to the movement of water to what makes the moon glow. The manuscript was first purchased in 1717 by Thomas Coke, who later became the Earl of Leicester, and then, in 1980, bought from the Leicester estate by art collector Armand Hammer (whose name the manuscript bore for the fourteen years he owned it).

In 1994, Bill Gates nabbed the journal at auction for $30,800,000, making it the most expensive book ever purchased. But hey, at least Gates put his purchase to good use — he had the book scanned and turned into a screensaver distributed with Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95.

2. The Gospels of Henry the Lion, Order of Saint Benedict — $11.7 million

Originally commissioned by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony, for the altar of the Virgin Mary at the Brunswick Cathedral, this gospel book was purchased by the German government at Sotheby’s of London in 1983 for £8,140,000, or about $11.7 million (at the time).

At 266 pages, including 50 full-page illustrations, the book is considered a masterpiece of the 12th century Romanesque illuminated manuscript.

3. Birds of America, James Audubon — $11.5 million

In 2000, Christie’s auctioned off a copy (one of only 119 known complete copies in the world) of Birds in America for $8,802,500. Ten years later, another complete first edition was sold at London at Sotheby’s for £7,321,250 (or about $11.5 million)

Another copy of the enormous four volume set goes up for auction at Christie’s, and perhaps another world record will be made.

4. The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer — $7.5 million

A first edition of the 15th century bawd-fest sold for £4.6m (or about $7.5 million at the time) at Christie’s in London in 1998. Of the dozen known copies of the 1477 first edition, this was the last to be held privately, and was originally purchased for £6 by the first Earl Fitzwilliam at the sale of John Radcliffe’s library at Christie’s in 1776.

5. First Folio, William Shakespeare — $6 million

Though the First Folio’s original price was a single pound (one or two more if you wanted it bound in leather or otherwise adorned), intact copies are now among the most highly prized finds among book collectors, with only an estimated 228 (out of an original 750) left in existence. In 2001, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen purchased a copy for $6,166,000 at Christie’s New York.

very good. nice one op

Wow.... Good one OP

You forgot to add mine,

Educative …

nawa ooo...up there in Heaven Angel Gabriel will be thinking that his book is the number one...

OK now. Hmmmm

op, can they be photocopied?

The list is not complete without the most expensive book in the whole universe "How to understand a woman "

6.

The Drummer boy ; Cyprian Ekwensi

someone should give me one of these books so I can sell it the mumu girl that gave me book as birthday gift couldn't buy one of these ones o

pls add buharis book...

bill gates bought it 30mil + to be used in windows 95?