2. Gospels of Henry the Lion – $11.7 million ($27.8 million in 2016)
The second most expensive book in the world is The Gospels of Henry the Lion by the Order of Saint Benedict (also known as the Black Monks) in the year of 1175!
Auctioned at a hooping amount of $11.7 million, this gospel book was actually custom built by Henry Lion (the Duke of Saxony) for the altar of Virgin Mary at the Brunswick Cathedral Church.
In the year of 1983, this book was bought over by the German government for £8,140,000 which is equal to $11.7 million at the Sotheby’s of London.
Accepted as the masterpiece of the Romanesque 12th century manuscript, the Gospels of Henry the Lion comprises of 266 pages with 50 complete pages of illustrations and artworks.
