"Royal Sagas" is considered the oldest Norwegian printed book among the surviving ones // Photo: time.kommune.no.
“The Royal Sagas” by Snorre Sturlason is the most expensive book in Norway. Holand purchased the rare edition back in December 2025, but it only became known now that the athlete has put it into the public domain.
For the sake of historical preservation
As the footballer told the publication “Stavanger Aftenblad” (Norway), he is not a passionate book lover, but together with his father decided to buy the book to preserve the historical heritage of his homeland.
The publication was donated to the municipality of Thieme in the province of Rugalann in southwestern Norway. The local authorities undertook to put the book on public display.
The athlete was born in Leeds (UK), but his family comes from the city of Brune – the administrative center of the province of Rugalann. This is also where Holand grew up and started practicing soccer.
Norway’s most expensive book
This book was the first in Norway, sold for more than 1 million Norwegian kroner (more than $100 thousand). It was sold to the footballer by Norwegian shipowner and collector Johan Odfjell.
The manuscript consists of translations from the Old Scandinavian language and retellings of royal sagas, translations of the “Saga of Sverri” and “Saga of Hakon the Old”. The book was published in Copenhagen in 1594, 20 years after the death of the compiler Snorre Sturlason.
