How Much is a Copy of Hitler's Mein Kampf Worth?

Adolf Hitler epitomizes evil for many, and military memorabilia dealer Craig Gottlieb will be the first to acknowledge that point. He also knows that some people find anything associated with the Führer or Nazi Germany to be “downright creepy.” But Gottlieb believes historically significant items, even those belonging to Hitler, offer learning opportunities and should be preserved and displayed rather than destroyed and forgotten.

The Authentic Copy

Proving this point, Gottlieb, known for his expert consulting on militaria for the hit History Channel program Pawn Stars, auctioned off Hitler’s personal copy of Mein Kampf through his website at historyhunter.com in 2014. This 1932 edition bears Hitler’s own bookplate inside the front cover and is presumed to be the only author-owned copy in existence.

The impact Mein Kampf —which translates to “my struggle”—had on world history is not disputable. In a 2014 interview, Gottlieb said:

“This is bigger than a mere book. Hitler changed the world, and we’re still living with those changes. What makes it exciting to me is that artifacts like this make history relevant to people. Studying and thinking about Adolph Hitler is something that we absolutely should be doing.”

He also noted that the book written by Hitler outlining his master plan was one of the most printed titles in the world. “There was a joke that everyone in Germany had a copy, but nobody read it because it was so badly written.”

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Had more people read this book back in the day, they would have had no doubt about Hitler’s intentions detailed implicitly in this “autobiographical manifesto,” as it was described in a news release distributed by Gottlieb’s publicists. The book, written in 1923 and first published in July of 1925, outlines Hitler’s political ideology and future plans for Germany. 

Hitler's Personal Copy

The copy Gottlieb offered at auction was part of a group of Hitler’s personal belongings liberated from the Nazi leader’s Munich apartment in 1945 by United States Army First Lieutenant Philip Ben Lieber. This book, along with others from Hitler’s library, was sold to Gottlieb in 2013 along with a hat, shirt, medals, and a number of other items. This copy of Mein Kampf was the first item from this collection to be offered for public sale. Others have been sold privately to collectors who are students of human nature and value the study of history.

"This artifact is historically significant and I would love to see it go to a museum," Gottlieb added. He acknowledged, however, that market realities would likely influence this copy of Mein Kampf going to a collector who appreciated its place in history.

Gottlieb also planned to donate a portion of the proceeds from the auction to a Jewish charity. Being Jewish himself, he qualified this as “historic irony” and relished being able to funnel support to an organization fostering education about the Holocaust by selling an artifact written and formerly owned by none other than Hitler.

The Value of Mein Kampf Editions

Gottlieb noted that Mein Kampf originals dating from the 1920s through the end of World War II are readily available on the market since so many of them were originally printed. Collectors wanting a copy can easily find a basic 1932 edition similar to the one that Gottlieb auctioned for about $200. But the Hitler-owned version offered for sale was not an average example. Provenance was considered the key to high value in this instance.

“The chain of custody of the book is unbroken since 1945,” said Gottlieb. “This particular artifact is one of the most profound in the group, which makes the provenance that supports the artifact so crucial to its value.”

The book was described and mentioned in several key documents in Gottlieb's possession, copies of which were included with the book’s sale.

Gottleib predicted that this rare copy could exceed $100,000. But when the hammer fell in November 2014, the book sold for $28,400 with no buyer's premium. Signed copies of Mein Kampf with authenticated autographs have sold for $65,000–70,000 in the past, but those were not personally owned by Hitler like this one was.

Gottleib's original prediction led to speculation that the book might do quite a bit better in different markets, but on March 18, 2016, two years after Gottleib's first sale and despite interest from 10 bidders, the book had dropped in value, selling for $20,655. In June of 2017, a different copy with an authenticated autograph by Hitler sold for £17,000 (about $21,700 at the time).

Sources and Further Reading

• "Mein Kampf auction: Book signed by Hitler fetches £17k." BBC News, June 15, 2017. 
• "Hitler's copy of 'Mein Kampf' sells for $20,655." The Local (Germany), March 19, 2016. 
• "Hitler's Personal Copy of 'Mein Kampf' Fetches Far Less Than Expected at Auction." Haaretz, November 3, 2014. 
• Stanton, Jenny. "Adolf Hitler's personal copy of Mein Kampf sells for almost £19k at auction." The Mirror, November 2, 2014.