The oldest Christian book which was sold for more than £3m
This religious book, written in Coptic script on papyrus in Egypt, dates back to between 250 and 350 AD.
The Crosby-Schøyen Codex, an important piece of early Christian history, has been sold for more than £3 million.
This religious book, written in Coptic script on papyrus in Egypt, dates back to between 250 and 350 AD. The codex, discovered in the 1950s, is believed to be one of the oldest in existence and was among several lots auctioned from Dr. Schøyen's collection. It contains a combination of biblical and other Christian texts, biblical extracts, and pagan literature, including the first complete epistle of Peter, the Book of Jonah, and an Easter homily.
Due to client confidentiality, the identity of the buyer could not be revealed. According to sources, it was initially bought by the University of Mississippi, where it remained until 1981.
It was acquired several times before being purchased by Norwegian manuscript collector Dr. Martin Schøyen in 1988. The manuscript itself includes texts such as the first complete epistle of Peter, the Book of Jonah, and an Easter homily.
