Copernicus' 1st edition Astronomical Price

A first edition of the book in which Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) broached his earth-shaking theory of the cosmos has fetched more than $2.2 million (U.S.) at Christie's New York auction a couple of days ago, nearly doubling the expected price. The buyer's name was not disclosed.

The 1543 copy of Copernicus' De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres) was among more than 300 books offered at Christie's auction on Tuesday (June 17, 2008). Tuesday's sale at Christie's brought in a total of more than $11 million (U.S.).


Images from Wikimedia Commons:
Copernicus' signature from Samuel Orgelbrand's Universal Encyclopedia, 16 vol. (1898-1904).
Copernicus' Portrait (artist unknown), 1580, tempera and oil on wood, Regional Museum in Torun.

» Source: AP