Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Leicester — $30.8 million (1994)

Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Leicester achieved $30.8 million at Christie's in 1994, the highest auction price ever for a manuscript. This 72-page scientific notebook, purchased by Bill Gates, includes Leonardo's insights on water, astronomy, and geology. Gates later digitized it as a Windows screensaver, making it 20% more accessible than the typical ancient manuscript. It outperforms the #4 V-M25 for aged rarity, given that only one complete copy exists, blending art and science in a singular document.