 In March 2000 Sheikh Saud Al-Thani of Qatar purchased a copy of "The Birds of America" at a Christie's auction for $8.8 million, a record for any book at auction.In December 2010, "The Economist" magazine estimated that, adjusted for inflation, five of the ten highest prices ever paid for printed books were paid for copies of "The Birds of America".Of the 120 copies known to survive, only thirteen are held in private collections.