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There is no reliable, complete ranking of the world’s most expensive artifacts: auction results, private-sale prices, estimates and insurance values are not directly comparable. Among the documented public results covered here, Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Leicester holds a notable illustrated-manuscript record: it sold for $30,802,500 at Christie’s in 1994, including the buyer’s premium. These selected examples are not a global leaderboard, and the prices are historical sale totals—not current valuations.
What counts as an expensive artifact?
“Artifact” can mean different things, from manuscripts and archaeological objects to works of art. A meaningful price comparison needs a defined category and a confirmed transaction. This article focuses on identified public auction results and reports the sale date, venue, currency and fee treatment where the available source establishes them. It does not combine estimates, private transactions with undisclosed prices or insurance values into a single ranking.
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Prices below are nominal historical figures, not adjusted for inflation. A total that includes a buyer’s premium is also different from the auction hammer price—the winning bid before fees. The distinction matters especially for the Codex Leicester.
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Codex Leicester: $30,802,500 at Christie’s
Guinness World Records lists the Codex Hammer, also known as the Codex Leicester, as an illustrated manuscript sold to Bill Gates at Christie’s in New York on 11 November 1994 for $30,802,500. Guinness’s record page was accessed in 2026 and reports the 1994 result; the figure is a historical auction total, not a present-day appraisal. Guinness World Records’ manuscript record
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The commonly cited $30,802,500 includes the buyer’s premium. Iconotheca distinguishes that total from a reconstructed hammer price of $28 million; the latter is an estimate based on the premium structure, not a directly confirmed published hammer figure. Iconotheca’s account of the Codex Leicester sale
Leonardo compiled the notebook around 1508–1510. Its pages explore topics including water and hydraulics, engineering, geology, astronomy and meteorology. The manuscript is therefore a specific record-setting illustrated manuscript, not proof that every kind of artifact can be ranked against it on equal terms.
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Sekhemka: £15,762,500 for an ancient Egyptian statue
On 10 July 2014, Christie’s reported that the 75-centimetre painted limestone statue of Sekhemka sold for £15,762,500 (also reported as $27,001,163 and €19,766,175). Christie’s described it at the time as a world auction record for an ancient Egyptian work of art. That is a category-specific claim made in the auction house’s post-sale release, not a claim that the statue was the most expensive artifact of every type. Christie’s post-sale release and lot information
The statue dates to approximately 2400–2300 BCE and probably came from Saqqara. Its inscription identifies Sekhemka as Inspector of the scribes of the royal court. Christie’s said the 2nd Marquess of Northampton acquired it during travel in Egypt in 1849–50, and that it was given to Northampton Museum before 1880 by either the 3rd or 4th Marquess. Northampton Borough Council offered it for sale; Christie’s said proceeds would help fund the museum’s extension.
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Reported Egyptian antiquities sold in 2022
A 2 July 2026 Egypt Independent report, drawing on Al-Masry Al-Youm, retrospectively describes selected Egyptian antiquities sold in 2022. Its examples show why objects should be compared by category and sale context rather than by age alone. The report is a limited set of examples, not a complete record of Egyptian sales or a worldwide ranking. Egypt Independent’s 2026 report on selected 2022 sales
| Object | Reported estimate | Reported sale price |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze Isis holding Horus, dated to the 25th and 26th Dynasties (750–525 BCE) | £100,000–£150,000 | £126,000 |
| Canopic jar, dated to 1550–1425 BCE | $20,000–$30,000 | $17,640 |
The report gives the estimates and results but does not establish a comparable fee-inclusive total for these objects. Its figures should therefore be read as reported sale prices, not converted into a cross-category ranking against the Codex or Sekhemka.
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- THE 2,000 YEAR OLD MYSTERY: Discovered across ancient Europe, the Roman dodecahedron remains one of history’s greatest unsolved puzzles — no one knows its true purpose.
- EDUCATIONAL & THOUGHT-PROVOKING: Spark curiosity and learning—great for students, teachers, and history enthusiasts exploring ancient engineering, symbolism, and unexplained artifacts.
- UNIQUE HOME & OFFICE DECOR: Add a touch of ancient sophistication to your workspace, bookshelf, or display cabinet. Blends perfectly with modern, rustic, or historical decor styles.
- PERFECT GIFT FOR HISTORY LOVERS: An unforgettable gift for archaeology fans, history buffs, gamers, or anyone fascinated by ancient civilizations and mysterious objects.
- HAND-PAINTED AUTHENTIC FINISH: Each piece is individually hand-painted to enhance the geometric design and give it a weathered, artifact-style appearance that feels historically inspired and unique.
Why famous high prices do not make a global artifact ranking
Some record-setting objects are not artifacts under every reasonable definition. Mental Floss reported that Leonardo’s painting Salvator Mundi sold for $450 million at auction in 2017, including buyer’s premium, while noting disagreement over its attribution. It is a painting example, not a directly comparable artifact result; including it would require an explicit definition broad enough to cover fine art and an explanation of the attribution dispute. Mental Floss’s 2022 article on expensive paintings
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More generally, age alone does not establish a market price. A reported result belongs to a particular object, category and sale. A museum object described as “priceless,” an insurance valuation and an undisclosed private sale cannot be ordered alongside public auction totals without comparable evidence and clear rules. The sources here establish specific examples, not a complete worldwide ranking through 2022.
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