Rare copy of Shakespeare's First Folio discovered by librarian in France
A librarian dusting off books for an upcoming exhibition has discovered a rare copy of William Shakespeare's First Folio in France.
The 400-year-old book, one of the most valuable in the English language, was found by the librarian in Saint-Omer while preparing books for an exhibition about links between the region and England.
One of the books was missing a title page and now an expert has confirmed it is a copy of Shakespeare's First Folio, a find that delighted historians and librarians.
It is believed only about 750 copies of the famous compilation of plays were ever printed, as early as 1623, seven years after Shakespeare's death.
Only about 230 copies are still known to exist, with some fetching more than $7 million at auction.
Despite its value, the library said it had no plans to sell the book.
