The Ten Commandments hold an unparalleled position in the religious, historical, and legal frameworks of society.

These stone tablets, traditionally believed to have been handed down to Moses by God, serve as a foundational artifact for the three major Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Their influence on the development of law and moral principles across cultures is profound, making the original stone tablets one of the most significant religious items in human history.

Supposedly the fragments of the first version of the 10 Commandment Stone Tablets that Moses shattered in his rage are stored with the Ark of the Covenant…in Ethiopia…in the Church of
St. Mary of Zion https://t.co/2tddig1wsU pic.twitter.com/hXIBnPmbte

— Anna Nicole Wordsmith (@missnic06) April 24, 2024

If the original stone tablets of Moses were ever discovered, their theoretical value would likely eclipse that of nearly all other historical and religious artifacts. To understand this value, it’s helpful to compare it to other high-profile historical items that have been sold at auction.

Comparable High-Value Artifacts

The Codex Leicester by Leonardo da Vinci, a 72-page manuscript filled with sketches and scientific observations, was sold to Bill Gates in 1994 for $30.8 million. Adjusted for inflation to 2023, this amounts to approximately $60 million​.

In 1994, Bill Gates bought Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Leicester for $30,802,500 at Christie’s auction house. It was the most expensive manuscript ever sold.

Three years later he had its pages scanned into digital image files, some of which were later distributed as screen saver… pic.twitter.com/v0YZDsfroM

— Creepy.org (@creepydotorg) April 18, 2024

Another historic document, the Magna Carta (1297 copy), which laid the groundwork for modern legal systems, fetched $21.3 million at auction in 2007, equivalent to $30.7 million today​.

The miraculous Magna Carta (1215).
One of the most important documents in Western civilization. It set in motion the long but steady evolution of the English common law, without which we would enjoy few, if any, of our present freedoms.
Institutions take centuries to ripen. pic.twitter.com/wIqkAVAk48

— QuintusCurtius (@QuintusCurtius) October 14, 2024

These sales highlight the enduring value of culturally and historically pivotal items.

Religious texts also command significant prices, as evidenced by the Gutenberg Bible, one of the earliest printed books, which sold for $5.4 million in 1987, a value that adjusts to approximately $13 million in today’s dollars​.

Did you know that Harvard has a copy of the Gutenberg Bible, the first major work printed in Europe with movable metal type? Harvard's copy is one of 48 surviving copies, only 23 of them complete. It is bound in two volumes and one is always on display in Widener Library. pic.twitter.com/LKNgUWbQBM

— Harvard University (@Harvard) June 10, 2023

However, no artifact has reached the heights of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting Salvator Mundi, sold for $450 million in 2017, setting a record for the most expensive artwork ever sold​.

The 10 most expensive paintings ever sold – a thread🧵

1. $450.3m – "Salvator Mundi", Leonardo da Vinci (c.1499-1510) pic.twitter.com/TtL2pbrNT2

— Culture Critic (@Culture_Crit) October 31, 2023

Estimated Value of Moses’ Ten Commandment Stone Tablets

Given the historical and religious importance, a conservative estimate places the value of Moses’ original stone tablets at around $1 billion USD.

This estimate takes into account the significance of these tablets compared to the $450 million sale of da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi and other high-value manuscripts and artifacts.

If such tablets were ever discovered, their sale would likely shatter all existing records​.

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