Sir Issac Newton's 1687 book auctioned for USD 3.7 million!

Newton's own copy of his Principia, with hand-written corrections for the second edition. (Image courtesy: Wikipedia)

New York: 'Principia Mathematica', Sir Issac Newton's book written in 1687 has now become the most expensive printed scientific book ever sold at an auction.

The book which carries detailed explanations of the English physicist and mathematician's famed three laws of motion, was sold for a whopping USD 3.7 million.

Auction house Christie's that handled the sale expected the goat-skin-covered book to fetch between USD one million and USD 1.5 million. An unnamed bidder, however, bought it for nearly four times that value at USD 3,719,500.

The Principia famously elucidates Newton's three laws of motion, explaining how objects move under the influences of external forces. Physics students today still use the laws, 'Live Science' reported.

The 252 pages of the 9x7 inch crimson book contains some woodcut diagrams and a folding plate, according to Christie's.

Only one other original leather-bound copy of Newton's Principia has been sold at auction in the past 47 years.

That copy was presented to King James II (1633-1701) and bought at Christie's New York for about USD 2.5 million in December 2013.

(With PTI inputs)