Books nearly 400 years old cost more than 14 million

The first printed book in the region that is now the United States has been auctioned for a record of more than $ 14 million, becoming the world's most expensive printed book.

The hymn "Bay Psalm Book" on November 26 sold for $ 14.2 million at Sotheby's auction house in New York in less than 5 minutes. Books published by Puritan immigrants in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1640. This is the first book to be published in British North American colonies.

According to AFP, the auction winner is American billionaire David Rubenstein. He is in Australia so he paid the price by phone.

The book "Bay Psalm Book" published since 1640 set a record with the price of 14.2 million USD.(Photo: News.com.au)

Migrants from Europe who come to the United States look for religious freedom and have thought of creating their own translations from the Hebrew version of the Old Testament."Bay Psalm Book" is an extremely rare book, this is New England's independence statement with the Church of England, " David Redden, in charge of Sotheby's auction house, told the BBC.

The hymn includes 300 pages and is translated from Hebrew into English. The book was printed 1,700 copies in the 17th century, but is now only 11 copies worldwide.

Sotheby's initially priced books from $ 15-30 million. However, the auction house representative said it was "a new world record for a printed book" , after being sold at $ 14.2 million.

The record of the most expensive book previously auctioned belongs to "The Birds of America" by John James Audubon. This book has been written since the 19th century and has content about birds. The book is sold for $ 11.5 million in 2010.

"The Birds of America" is 91cm long, so the opposite of "Bay Psalm Book" is the size of a normal pocket book for church users to easily use.