Historic First Edition Copy of El Filibusterismo Sold for PHP 21M

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A rare piece of Philippine history has just set a record in Makati. A first edition copy of Jose Rizal’s El Filibusterismo, complete with his handwritten dedication and signature, was sold for ₱21 million at the Leon Gallery’s Asian Cultural Council Auction on February 14, 2026.

The book, once owned by Don Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, carries Rizal’s personal inscription: “A mi querido amigo el doctor T. H. Pardo de Tavera, Jose Rizal, Gante, 16/ IX 1891” (“To my dear friend, Dr. T. H. Pardo de Tavera, Jose Rizal, Ghent, 16 September 1891”). According to Leon Gallery, the note makes the copy extraordinary—it predates the known printing date and is considered the very first copy off the press, one Rizal himself held before sending it to his friend.

Bidding began at ₱5 million and climbed quickly, with the final price reaching ₱25,233,600 after buyer’s premium. That figure makes it the most expensive book ever sold in the Philippines.

The sale highlights the importance of Rizal’s enduring legacy and the value placed on artifacts that connect directly to the national hero’s life. For collectors and historians, this first edition is more than a rare book—it is a tangible link to the moment Rizal’s words left the press and entered the hands of his contemporaries.