Isaac Newton Principia Mathematica (1st ed., continental issue)
- Maker
- Isaac Newton
- Year
- 1687
- Rank
- 31 of 100
Isaac Newton Principia Mathematica (1st ed., continental issue)
Isaac Newton Principia Mathematica (1st ed., continental issue) by Isaac Newton (1687) is ranked 31 in the FLOAT 100 for Memorabilia. It sold for $3,719,500 on 14 December 2016. The most valuable printed scientific book ever sold; the foundation of classical physics.
What is it, and why is it in the FLOAT 100?
The most valuable printed scientific book ever sold; the foundation of classical physics.
First edition, continental issue, of Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica
What is the best-sourced number for it?
- Figure
- $3,719,500
- Kind
- Realized at auction
- Date
- 14 December 2016
Christie's New York. $3.7195M — record for a printed scientific book.
This is a realized sale. Somebody paid it. Source.
How this is made
- The figure
- One reference price, taken from a named public source and shown with its own kind. FLOAT does not average it with anything or adjust it for time.
- Realized or not
- A realized price is a completed sale. A market asking price and a price-guide value are not sales, and are labeled as such wherever they appear.
- Why no grade ladder
- Most FLOAT 100 entries are individual objects. There is one of this, so there is no population and no spread across grades to show.
- Archive
- 2026-08-08