The Most Wanted Rare Books: Finding Gold in the Pages

Often, what makes a book valuable to someone is their enjoyment of the story and the memories connected to reading it. However, some books have a more intrinsic value that makes them worth even more in the eyes of collectors. Whether for nostalgia or preservation purposes, book-collecting hobbyists keep an eye out for valuable books.
Why are rare books so valuable?
The demand for a rare book is often influenced by factors related to its condition and historical context. These include:
- Scarcity. Books that are out of print or are otherwise difficult to obtain will often be more valuable to collectors. For many, there’s just something special about owning a one-of-a-kind artifact.
- Age. Books from before the 20th century are more likely to be valued by collectors. That’s especially true of books published before moveable type printing took hold globally in the 15th century.
- Condition. Collectors will value a book with minimal wear and tear more than a damaged one. Typically, that means the spine is intact, no pages are missing or in bad condition, and there are minimal spine or title page markings.
- Importance. Books that significantly impacted society or were written by a noteworthy author may be especially valuable. Important works are even more valuable to collectors if they’re first-edition copies. For example, at a May 2013 Sotheby’s auction, a first-edition copy of ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ by J.K. Rowling sold for £150,000. The equivalent sale price in USD was roughly $227,421.
- Subject. The book’s subject is usually less important than the other factors but can still affect the value. Museums, more so than collectors, may care more about a book’s subject given their focus on collecting historically significant objects in certain topics.
In addition, rare book investments can offer substantial long-term financial rewards. Generally, a collectible book from a well-known author will see its worth double in around seven years if it’s kept in good condition.
The top 5 most wanted rare books
While this isn’t an exhaustive list, the titles below are some of the world’s rarest and most valuable books. We’ve also created a list of the most expensive books and manuscripts ever sold that includes the below and more.
The Gutenberg Bible

Gutenberg Bible. Sold for €1,200 EUR via Zisska & Lacher (June 2023).
Published in 1449-1450 by Johannes Gutenberg, Johann Fust, and Peter Schoeffer, ‘The Gutenberg Bible’ was the first book assembled via printing press. Only 48 surviving copies remain, and they’re so valued that a single leaf from one sold for around $74,000. In October 1987, an entire book sold at auction for a record $4.9 million, with Christie’s helming the sale to Maruzen Co. Ltd.
The First Folio by William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (1623). Image courtesy of British Library.
The works of William Shakespeare, still one of the most influential artists in the Western world, may well always be valuable to book collectors. ‘The First Folio,’ which Edward Blount and Isaac Jaggard first published in 1623, is the first authoritative collection of 36 of Shakespeare’s plays. This book has become the modern-day preference for theater performances of Shakespeare’s work. In July 2006, at a Sotheby’s auction, London dealer Simon Finch Books purchased ‘The First Folio’ for $5.2 million.
The Bay Psalm Book

The Book of Psalms Translated into English (1640). Image courtesy of Massachusetts American Imprints Collection, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress.
Published in 1640 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this was the first book printed in colonial Massachusetts Bay. It’s a collection of around 150 Hebrew Psalms that a committee of educated elders including John Cotton, Richard Mather, and John Eliot translated to English.
Initially, the committee didn’t have the appropriate tools to print multiple copies of ‘The Bay Psalm Book.’ Reverend Jose Glover brought a printing press from overseas but died during transit, so his apprentice, Stephen Day, oversaw printing. While approximately 1,700 copies were printed, only 11 survived to the present day. Additionally, contemporary printers have pointed out several spelling and typography errors in the text. At a November 2013 Sotheby’s auction, a surviving copy of the ‘Bay Psalm Book’ sold for $14.2 million.

John James Audubon’s Whooping Crane (Endangered) lithograph. Sold for $190 via Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books (June 2023.
Birds of America by John James Audubon
Naturalist and painter John James Audubon set out to illustrate every native bird in the United States. His 435-page collection of hand-drawn prints, ‘Birds of America,’ stemmed from this ambition. He published engraved prints between 1827 and 1838 and sent them to his subscribers to financially support his endeavor. Robert Havell provided additional etching atop Audubon’s original paintings.
‘Birds of America’ is widely considered one of the most beautiful books ever produced, with life-sized, meticulously detailed drawings of thousands of birds. Only 13 copies are thought to remain in existence, and at a June 2018 Christie’s auction, one sold for $9.65 million.
Can use images from https://www.audubon.org/birds-of-america/american-goldfinch
Using the following guidelines
“Please credit the illustrations as follows: “Courtesy of the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove, Montgomery County Audubon Collection, and Zebra Publishing”
The Codex Leicester by Leonardo da Vinci
The artistic works of Leonardo da Vinci have remained world-renowned for decades — the leading Renaissance thinker’s scientific curiosity engenders viewers’ curiosity in turn. ‘The Codex Leicester’ is a 72-page collection of his scientific musings on water and the natural world, complete with several detailed sketches. His notes were never officially published — the book is really just one man’s notebook. In fact, it was nameless until Thomas Cook, the eventual Earl of Leicester, purchased it in 1717.
‘The Codex Leicester’ is considered one of the most important documents from the Renaissance Age and is very literally one of a kind. Its value is thus astronomical. In November 1994, Bill Gates purchased ‘The Codex Leicester’ at a Christie’s auction for $30.8 million.
How to Build Your Own Rare Book Collection
Building a collection of rare books is an effort in patience and dedication, but anyone with enough passion can make it happen. It may also prove easier to find rare and valuable books through book fairs and bookstores specializing in auctions. You might also want to determine the type of books you’re looking for and whether you’re focusing on a certain time period, author, or subject.
It’s also important to consider the monetary aspect of the hobby — the market value of certain books can be worth a fortune, quite literally. Taking note of the most wanted rare books’ prices and budgeting to afford expensive books is vital for smartly building a collection.
Several handling and storage procedures can help you preserve your collection’s condition. Perhaps counterintuitively, rare books shouldn’t be handled with gloves because they can make it difficult to turn the pages and thus lead to damage. Additionally, the front and back covers should be propped up during examination, rather than laid flat, to avoid damaging the spine. For long-term preservation of your collection, keep it in a cool, climate-controlled environment with around 35% humidity and away from sunlight.
The Importance of Rare Book Collecting
Millions of books have been published since the invention of movable type, and many valuable texts come from the dawn of this technology. These rare older books often reflect the societies in which they were written or shine more light on an important historical figure. The preservation, restoration, and collection of these books or texts may thus feel meaningful beyond possible monetary gain. Understanding this has inspired many hobbyists to pick up book collecting — and could inspire you to do the same.