Bay Psalm Book Could Sell for $30 Million at Sotheby's Auction

Posted on April 23, 2013

The Bay Psalm Book is known as the first book printed in America. A copy of the book will be auctioned by Sotheby's on November 26, 2013 in New York. 1700 copies of the book were originally made, but just 11 survive today. Sotheby's says the book is "one of the greatest artifacts of American history."

You can find details about the auction here. Sotheby's lists the value of the extremely rare book at $15 million to $30 million.

The Whole Booke of Psalmes - known as The Bay Psalm Book - was produced in the Massachusetts Bay Colony by the Congregationalist Puritans who left England in search of religious freedom. The new poetical translation of the Psalms was made by leading scholars and ministers of colonial New England, including John Cotton, Richard Mather and John Eliot. The book was printed on a press sent from England.