No matter how much technology advances, print and printing remains an important part of everyday life…we are Printing Books at impressive volumes, showing printing is expanding hand in hand with the Digital Age
From signs, to certificates, books and other written documents, we rely on the printing process for many aspects of life.
But what are the most print documents in history? Here are 10 print documents that have been printed more than any others!
The Bible:
The Bible is one of the oldest and most widely read books in human history, with an estimated 5 billion copies printed over its lifetime.
It has been translated into hundreds of languages and it remains the most print book of all time.
Originally written in ancient Hebrew and Greek, the Bible has been printed in various versions since 1455. The Gutenberg Bible was the first mass-print edition of the Bible and it is believed to have sold approximately 200,000 copies.
The Magna Carta:
The Magna Carta was signed in 1215 and is one of the earliest examples of a document that sets out laws governing the relationship between rulers and their people.
It has been been utilised in print more than 250 million times, making it one of the most widely read documents ever created.
The Magna Carta first had seven copies printed, one of which is still held in the British Library.
Quotations from Chairman Mao
Also known as the Little Red Book, this collection of quotations from Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong was published in 1964 and quickly became one of the most widely distributed books in the world.
An estimated 8 to 10 billion copies have gone to print in numerous languages, making it one of the most printed documents in history. With its distinctive red cover, it has become an iconic symbol of the Communist Revolution.
Declaration of Independence:
The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 delegates and ratified on July 4th, 1776. This document declared the United States’ independence from Great Britain and is considered one of the most important documents in history.
Over 200 million copies have gone to print since it was first published and every year, printing continues – with millions of copies still sold annually
The Quran:
The Muslim holy book, the Quran, is believed to have gone to print over 1 billion times since its first copies were created in the late 8th century.
Today, it remains one of the most printed books in the world and has been translated into dozens of languages.
The Quran is one of the most influential documents in human history, with its teachings shaping many aspects of Islamic culture and law.
Harry Potter series:
J.K. Rowling’s beloved Harry Potter series has been one of the most popular books and films since its release in 1997.
The books have sold over 500 million print copies worldwide and spawned a movie franchise that has earned over $7.7 billion at the box office.
The success of the series spawned off a theme park, video games, and other forms of merchandise, making it one of the most successful franchises in history.
Communist Manifesto:
Written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, the Communist Manifesto was first published in 1848 and quickly became a widely distributed and discussed document. I
It has been printed over 200 million times in numerous languages. With printing on this scale, it has been one of the most popular print documents ever.
The Catcher in the Rye:
J.D Salinger’s 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye remains one of the best-selling books of all time, having sold over 65 million copies worldwide since its release.
It has also been translated into dozens of languages, putting it as one of the most replicated print documents in human history.
Lord of the Rings series:
J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy novels have been some of the best-selling books since their release in 1954 and 1955.
The books have sold over 150 million copies worldwide, and recently gained entire new book printing runs due to the success of the `Lord of The Rings’ and `The Hobbit’ movies by Peter Jackson.
Tolkien originally wanted to run LOTR as one book, but printing services provider divided it into the 3 books we know today to mitigate any loss. The publisher couldn’t have had a more plumb print job in his career !
Many of J.R.R Tolkien’s characters were based on his own experiences in World War I, making the story even more captivating and thought-provoking.
Mein Kampf:
Adolf Hitler’s 1925 autobiographical manifesto, Mein Kampf, has sold more than 10 million copies since its first print publication.
It has been printed in numerous languages but has been banned in several countries due to its controversial content and poor cover design (He put his own head on it)
And let’s face it – Hitler was a bit of a nutbag.
Don Quixote:
The first novel from Spanish Author Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote, is acknowledged as one of the greatest works in literature. It has seen over 500 million copies in print since its original print publication in 1605.
Aside from being one of the most print documents ever, it is also a major literary work for its incorporation of themes like realism, humanism and the clash between old-fashioned values and modern ideals.
This has been a constant source of inspiration for authors all over the world in the centuries since its first print publication.
So there you have it. The 10 most printed documents in history. Some of the documents were inspiring and thought-provoking; some of them downright silly; but all of them have left their mark on human history.
Think about it: every single one of these documents has been seen by millions, if not billions, of people over the course of centuries – that’s pretty impressive!
