The Greatest Medieval Treasures In The World
The medieval period has left us a treasure trove of glittering relics, holy objects, and jaw-dropping manuscripts that fetch fortunes at auctions and sit behind glass in the world’s greatest museums. These artifacts are not just priceless for their artistry—they also carry stories of power, devotion, and intrigue. Below, we explore 20 of the most valuable medieval items in the world, where they are today, and what they’re worth. Grab your goblet, noble reader—it’s going to be a dazzling journey through the Middle Ages.
The Book of Kells
Residing at Trinity College Library in Dublin, the Book of Kells is one of the most famous illuminated manuscripts in existence. Created around 800 CE by Celtic monks, its kaleidoscopic illustrations of the Gospels shimmer with artistry. It’s so valuable it has never been sold, but scholars estimate it would fetch over $100 million if it ever went to auction.
Unattributed, Wikimedia Commons
The Lewis Chessmen
Discovered on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland in 1831, these 12th-century walrus ivory chess pieces look like they’re straight out of a Norse saga. Today, most of them are housed in the British Museum, with a few at the National Museum of Scotland. Collectively, they’re valued at $10–15 million, though their cultural worth is immeasurable.
National Museums Scotland, Wikimedia Commons
The Lindisfarne Gospels
Now safe in the British Library, the Lindisfarne Gospels (produced c. 715 CE) are a triumph of Insular illumination, blending Celtic and Anglo-Saxon styles. With vibrant colors that still glow after 1,300 years, this manuscript could command $50–75 million if it were ever to leave the library’s vaults.
Unknown but associated with Eadfrith of Lindisfarne, Wikimedia Commons
The Holy Thorn Reliquary
Commissioned by the French royal family around 1390 to house a relic of Christ’s Crown of Thorns, this glittering reliquary is a riot of gold and enamel. Now in the British Museum, it’s priceless as a sacred relic, but estimates put its value around $20–30 million.
The Westminster Retable
This 13th-century altarpiece, the oldest surviving panel painting in England, once adorned Westminster Abbey. Though badly damaged over centuries, it remains a spectacular medieval treasure. Experts estimate its worth at $15 million, but its importance to English heritage is beyond measure.
Unknown English painter, Wikimedia Commons
The Codex Leicester
Purchased by Bill Gates in 1994 for a staggering $30.8 million, the Codex Leicester is one of Leonardo da Vinci’s scientific notebooks, dating to the late medieval/early Renaissance period. It bridges the medieval and modern world, making it one of the most expensive books ever sold.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Wikimedia Commons
The Bedford Hours
Commissioned in Paris around 1410, this lavish Book of Hours is drenched in gold leaf and delicate miniatures. It was purchased by the British Library for over £1.1 million in 1988, and its current estimated value is $15–20 million.
Bedford Master, Wikimedia Commons
The Magna Carta (1215)
One of the most famous documents in world history, the Magna Carta established the principle that kings were not above the law. Four original copies survive, two of which are in the British Library. In 2007, a copy sold for $21.3 million to David Rubenstein, proving liberty has a very high price tag indeed.
The Bayeux Tapestry
Technically an embroidery, the 230-foot-long Bayeux Tapestry depicts the Norman Conquest of England in vivid detail. It lives in Bayeux, France, and is considered priceless. If it ever hit the auction block, it could rival the $100 million valuations of the greatest manuscripts.
The Utrecht Psalter
Created around 830 CE, this Carolingian manuscript is full of energetic pen illustrations that influenced medieval art across Europe. Now in the University Library of Utrecht, it would likely command $40–60 million at auction.
Unknown monks c. 800, Wikimedia Commons
The Psalter of St. Louis
Commissioned by King Louis IX of France in the 13th century, this illuminated psalter is a jewel of Gothic book art. Housed in the Bibliothèque nationale de France, it’s valued around $20–25 million.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
The Coronation Gospels
Said to have been discovered in Charlemagne’s tomb in 1000 CE, this manuscript is legendary. It still resides in Aachen Cathedral, Germany, and scholars place its value at $30–40 million.
The Hereford Mappa Mundi
The largest surviving medieval world map, created around 1300, is kept at Hereford Cathedral in England. More than a geographical tool, it’s a medieval encyclopedia of the world. Experts suggest it could fetch $10–15 million, though it is effectively priceless.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
The Codex Gigas (The Devil’s Bible)
This gigantic 13th-century manuscript, famous for its eerie full-page portrait of the devil, resides in the National Library of Sweden. Its unique reputation makes it worth an estimated $25–30 million.
Michal Maňas, Wikimedia Commons
The Wilton Diptych
An exquisite portable altarpiece made for King Richard II of England around 1395, the Wilton Diptych glows with ultramarine, gold, and Gothic elegance. It’s now in the National Gallery, London, and could be valued at $20–25 million.
Unknown Master, French (second half of 14th century), Wikimedia Commons
The Lindau Gospels
Bound in covers glittering with gold, pearls, and gems, the Lindau Gospels are one of the most beautiful surviving medieval manuscripts. Now at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York, its value is estimated at $30–40 million.
Folchard of St Gall, 880-900, Wikimedia Commons
The Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry
This legendary Book of Hours, illuminated around 1412–1416, is celebrated for its exquisite calendar scenes. Housed at the Musée Condé in Chantilly, France, it’s considered one of the greatest treasures of manuscript art. Its value could soar past $100 million.
Limbourg brothers, Wikimedia Commons
The Alfred Jewel
Commissioned by King Alfred the Great (9th century), this cloisonné masterpiece was discovered in 1693. It now sits in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, and is valued around $10 million, though its national significance is priceless.
The Vienna Dioscurides
A lavish Byzantine manuscript created around 515 CE, it contains Greek medical knowledge and stunning illustrations of plants. Today, it’s kept in the Austrian National Library, with an estimated worth of $20–30 million.
The Luttrell Psalter
This 14th-century English manuscript is adored for its whimsical marginalia—knights jousting with snails, anyone? Owned by the British Library, it’s one of the most beloved manuscripts ever made, with an estimated value of $15–20 million.
Which Of These Medieval Beauties Are You Buying?
From glittering reliquaries to illuminated tomes, the medieval world has left behind treasures that continue to astonish. While museums guard them as priceless cultural heirlooms, their estimated values remind us just how extraordinary they are. Beyond mere price tags, these items connect us directly to the imaginations, devotions, and ambitions of people who lived hundreds of years ago. For medieval enthusiasts, they remain the ultimate relics of a world both distant and dazzling.
Unknown Master, French (second half of 14th century), Wikimedia Commons
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