The First Book Written About a Stock Market Is Selling for $300,000
Joseph Penso de la Vega’s Confusion of Confusions was published in 1688.
The first edition is one of less than 10 in existence.
Source: Sotheby’s
On Tuesday the first book known to be written about a stock exchange went on sale at Sotheby’s Rare Books and Manuscripts online auction, carrying an estimate of $200,000 to $300,000. Written by Joseph Penso de la Vega in 1688, the Confusion of Confusions is a primer for the Amsterdam stock exchange, which was set up by the Dutch East India company in 1602. Bids close on Dec. 17.
Vega, a Sephardic Jew who had immigrated from Spain to Amsterdam earlier in the century, wrote the book in Spanish and described the mechanics of the exchange—including descriptions of puts, calls, pools, and manipulations—in addition to providing overall investment advice.