Bill Gates Once Paid $30.8 Million for a Book! Here’s Why It Is So Expensive

We’re all used to seeing rich people splurge their massive wealth on investments, art collections, and sometimes on extremely bizarre artefacts we usually find unnecessary.

But when you’e one of the richest people on the planet, you seldom think twice before buying something you like — even if it costs a whopping $30.8 million. For Bill Gates, that kind of money is like pocket change, after all, the man is worth $100 billion!

We all know how much Gates loves books. He has emphasized time and time again that his reading habit the secret weapon for his success. And before we take a page out of the Microsoft founder’s playbook (quite literally), let’s take a second to admire the billionaire’s passion for literary arts.

True enough, Bill Gates once spent an astounding $30.8 million just to acquire this handwritten book! What makes this book so special that the renowned tech-billionaire is willing to pay a significant chunk of his fortune for it? Let’s take a peak inside this legendary artefact.

The Acquisition

In an interview with CNBC, Bill Gates revealed that he acquired a handwritten book written by none other than the legendary Leonardo da Vinci.

Also known as Codex Leicester, the 72-page volume features a catalogue of Leonardo’s writings and sketches, making it the most expensive book of all time.

Bill Gates bought this prized artefact in November 1994, and at the time he spent a staggering $30.8 million on it, making it the most expensive item he has ever owned. For for a da Vinci fan as big as Bill Gates, the purchase was totally worth it.

Bill Gates’ lavish acquisition came as a surprise since the tech billionaire is known for being thrifty.

When asked what made Bill Gates drop millions to buy this item, the billionaire revealed that he has admired Leonardo since childhood. He even hailed the legendary artist as his personal idol and inspiration.

That’s what prompted him to accumulate enough funds to buy the invaluable item. While Gates was already rich back then, thanks to his multi-billion dollar company, his net worth was nowhere close to what it is today.

The Admiration

Bill Gates revealed that Leonardo da Vinci inspired him to excel in his field of expertise. He admires the artist’s unique perspective on life and how he was able to convey it through his artistic masterpieces that are now some of the most expensive paintings in the world.

He kept on pushing himself to expand his knowledge without being told what’s wrong or right, without minding the feedback he received from the people around him.

Gates revealed Leonardo da Vinci imparted him the sense of curiosity and wonder, which he uses to keep inventing and revolutionizing the digital world we enjoy today

Since then, he’s been collecting Leonardo da Vinci’s work in an effort to get closer to his idol while gaining an insight into his genius mind.

Gates also published some blog posts to express his continuing admiration for the legendary artist. He even recommended the book entitled Leonardo’s biography written by Walter Isaacson to his fans.

The Commemoration

Bill Gates said he decided to share the content of Codex Leicester to the public to spreadLeonardo’s wisdom to everyone.

Bill Gates says it amazed him that a man who lived 500 years ago taught him how to unlock the wonders of modern life. To commemorate Leonardo da Vinci’s 500th anniversary, Bill Gates launched an interactive kiosk named Codescope in 2018.

The Codescope serves as the digital copy of Codex Leicester where the users can read the precious material the digital way. It also made tours in famous museums across Europe.