The very first book published in the United States has sold at auction for $14.2 million on Tuesday night. The book is the Old Testament book of psalms and it was auctioned at Sotheby’s.
Known as the ‘Bay Book of Psalms,’ the book was printed in the year 1670 and was owned by Boston’s Old South Church, which was formed in 1669. The church owned 2 copies and>Fox News is reporting that the Old South Church decided to sell one of their copies to raise money for church ministries.
The book was published by Puritans in Massachusetts just 20 years after the Pilgrims settled in Plymouth Rock. It was printed in part because the Puritans believed that the then current editions were misquotes and thus blasphemy against God. Their goal was to not just have printed copies of the Bible, but to ensure their salvation with the most truthful copy.
According to the > Global Post, The ‘Bay Book of Psalms’ was brought by David M. Rubenstein, who works in an investment firm in Washington. Rubenstein has stated that he plans on loaning it out to libraries across the United States before putting it on permanent loan to one of them.