Record Price of $35 Million Paid for Printer's Copy of the Book of Mormon
- by Michael Stillman
Printer's manuscript in early 20th century photo (LDS Church photo).
A record sale in the books and manuscripts field was completed late last month. A private sale between two churches saw the printer's manuscript copy of the Book of Mormon sold for $35 million. It surpassed the previous record of $30.8 million paid by Microsoft's Bill Gates for Leonardo da Vinci's 16th century manuscript notebook Codex Leicester in 1994.
The printer's manuscript is the earliest, virtually complete copy of the Book of Mormon (it is missing only three lines). The original manuscript, dictated to scribes by church founder Joseph Smith, Jr., was placed by him in the cornerstone of Nauvoo House in 1841. When removed decades later, most of it had been destroyed by water. Other parts were snipped off as relics over the years. The result is that only 28% of it remains, housed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) in Salt Lake City.
The printer's manuscript copy was created at Smith's behest by Oliver Cowdery. It was delivered to printer E. B. Grandin of Palmyra, New York, in 1830, and used to set the type for the first edition. However, Cowdery retained the printer's copy. In 1850, shortly before he died, Cowdery gave it to David Whitmer, one of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon. The printer's manuscript remained in Whitmer's family until sold by his grandson in 1903 to the Community of Christ (then known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). The 1903 purchase price for the printer's manuscript and various other documents was $2,500.
The recent sale was from the Community of Christ to the LDS Church. For those not familiar with the former Reorganized Church, the Latter Day Saints were a unified group during most Joseph Smith's lifetime. Persecution and problems with neighbors moved Smith and his followers from New York to Ohio, then Missouri, and finally Nauvoo, Illinois. While there, Smith began to have issues with some of his followers as well as neighbors. While Smith was regarded as a prophet, not all believed him to be infallible. His revelation endorsing polygamy was particularly controversial, leading to a split with some church members. The dissidents published a newspaper, Smith authorized its destruction, and mobilized some followers. The Illinois Governor sent in the militia, Smith surrendered, and was sent to jail for causing a riot. Unpopular with his neighbors, a mob attacked his prison cell and Smith and his brother were murdered.
After that, the Church remained split. The bulk of Smith's followers went with Brigham Young. When increasing issues with neighbors forced Young and most of the Mormons to get out of Nauvoo fast, they began the legendary journey west, to found their new home in a place where they figured no one would bother them, the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. A few splinter groups remained. The Reorganized Church was one.
Followers of the Reorganized Church remained in the Midwest. In 1860, they named Smith's son, Joseph Smith III, as their leader. They moved around the Midwest, but eventually settled in Independence, Missouri, Joseph Smith's original Zion. Smith descendants continued to lead the Reorganized Church until late in the twentieth century. Today, the Community of Christ has followers around the world, having conducted missions like the much better known and larger LDS Church in Salt Lake City. Still, their community is sizable, their theology having a somewhat more liberal bent than that of the LDS Church.
One place where the two faiths are unified is in the preservation of important material common to both. There isn't anything much more important to them than this, unless someone finds the original manuscript of the Bible. Naturally, the LDS Church has a much larger collection of important material and the best facilities for its preservation. They also have access to donors of great means. The $35 million was all raised through donations. Presumably, that money will help the Community of Christ carry out its mission.
Sotheby’s Shelf Life: Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper from the Library of Stanley J. Seeger and Christopher Cone 25 June – July 7
Sotheby’s, July 7: Ludwig van Beethoven. Autograph sketches for the overture "Die Weihe des Hauses", op.124, [1822], UNPUBLISHED. £150,000 to £200,000.
Sotheby’s, July 7: Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice, 1813, first edition, 3 volumes, contemporary half calf. £50,000 to £70,000.
Sotheby’s, July 7: Walt Whitman. Leaves of Grass, Brooklyn, 1855, first edition, first issue, original green cloth, the Doheny copy. £50,000 to £70,000.
Sotheby’s, July 7: Binding—Sangorski & Sutcliffe—Omar Khayyam. Rubaiyat, London, 1872, third edition, in a magnificent jewelled Peacock binding. £15,000 to £20,000.
Sotheby’s, July 7: George Eliot. Middlemarch, Edinburgh and London, 1871, first edition in the original parts. £20,000 to £30,000.
Forum Auctions The Private Library: Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers July 9, 2026
Forum, July 9: Hassall (Joan) A large collection of over 300 original woodblocks of engravings for various books, v.d., with Hassall's engraver's glass water-globe (Qty) - Est. £10,000-15,000
Forum, July 9: Eragny Press.- [Bradley (Katherine Harris) & Edith Emma Cooper], "Michael Field." Whym Chow, Flame of Love, one of only 27 copies, inscribed by Bradley, the rarest book from the press, 1914. - Est. £3,000-4,000
Forum, July 9: [Moore (Thomas Sturge)] [Wood Engravings], 71 wood-engravings printed by David Chambers from the original blocks, the only set on Japanese Hosho paper, from an edition of 5 sets, [1970]. - Est. £3,000-4,000
Forum Auctions The Private Library: Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers July 9, 2026
Forum, July 9: La Fontaine (Jean de) Contes et Nouvelles en vers, 2 vol., engraved plates after Eisen, fine early 19th century blue morocco, gilt, by Bradel l'ainé, Amsterdam [Paris], 1762. - Est. £2,000-3,000
Forum, July 9: Erotica.- Prostitution.- Pretty Women of Paris (The); Their Names and Addresses, Qualities and Faults..., [Paris], privately printed at the Press of the Prefecture de Police, 1883. - Est. £3,000-4,000
Forum, July 9: Vale Press.- Ricketts (Charles) & Lucien Pissarro. De la Typographie et de l'Harmonie de la Page Imprimée…, [one of 216 copies], bound in dark blue morocco tooled in gilt, by Sarah T.Prideaux, 1898. - Est. £1,000-1,500
Forum Auctions The Private Library: Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers July 9, 2026
Forum, July 9: Martin (John) Illustrations of the Bible, complete set of 20 mezzotints, good impressions, rarely found in early states, [c.1831-1835]. - Est. £1,000-1,500
Forum, July 9: Golden Cockerel Press.- Four Gospels of the Lord Jesus Christ (The), one of 500 copies, Mary Gill's copy, Waltham St. Lawrence, 1931 with a signed proof of engraving on japon numbered 10/10 (2) - Est. £5,000-7,000
Forum, July 9: Boccaccio (Giovanni) The Decameron, 3 vol., vol.1 extra-illustrated by John Buckland Wright with c.150 erotic original drawings in pen & ink and pencil, 1886 [extra-illustrated c.1940]. - Est. £10,000-15,000
Forum Auctions The Private Library: Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers July 9, 2026
Forum, July 9: Cox (Morris) Collection of Gogmagog Press Books, 35 vol., rare complete collection of printed books issued by the press, limited editions, most signed by Cox, 1957-83. - Est. £10,000-15,000
Forum, July 9: Wynkyn de Worde.- [Terentius Afer (Publius)] [Comedie...], [Paris, Josse Badius: sold in London by Wynkyn de Worde, & others], [15 July 1504]. - Est. £4,000-6,000
Forum, July 9: Mosley (James) Ornamented Types. Twenty-Three Alphabets from the Foundry of Louis John Pouchée, 2 vol., one of 10 copies for presentation, from an edition of 210, 1992-93. - Est. £1,000-2,000
Freeman’s, June 30. Thomas Jefferson’s “Birth of the New Nation” letter, carried to Paris with the Treaty of Peace, by a Jewish patriot. $100,000-200,000.
Freeman’s, June 30. “The rockets’ red glare.” A British midshipman’s log recording the bombardment of Fort McHenry. $60,000-80,000.
Freeman’s, June 30. The Critical Promotion of a Naval Hero, Oliver Hazard Perry Commission signed by James Madison, 1812. $40,000-60,000.
Freeman’s, June 30. Born in the USA: First Day of Printing in the United States, July 4, 1776. $15,000-25,000.
Freeman’s, June 30. One of the Earliest Printed Announcements of American Independence, in the Exceedingly Rare Original Wrappers, 1776. $10,000-15,000.
Freeman’s, June 30. "The Two Big Guns of the N.Y. Yanks": A Striking Type 1 Press Photograph of Lou Gehrig's Hands. $8,000-12,000.
Freeman’s, June 30. A Unique Contemporary Manuscript Account of Joseph Smith's Final Words to His Followers, the Day Before his Violent Death. $8,000-12,000.
Freeman’s, June 30. The State of Minnesota Officially Certifies the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution Of the United States. $8,000-12,000.
Freeman’s, June 30. Extraordinarily Large Manuscript Petition Signed by a Who's Who of Colonial New York to Queen Anne from the Colony of New York. $8,000-12,000.
Freeman’s, June 30. Mickey Mantle's First Cover: The Earliest Front-Page Newspaper Image of Mickey Mantle, "Something Good from Joplin". $8,000-12,000.
Freeman’s, June 30. A Call to Arms in the Months Following the Declaration of Independence: An Early Continental Army Recruitment Poster. $6,000-9,000.
Freeman’s, June 30. Samuel Jones, the Statesman Behind the Newly Discovered "Jones Declaration": His Annotated Set Used in His Working Law Library. $6,000-9,000.
