Guinness World Records lists Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa as having the highest ever insurance value for a painting. On permanent display at the Louvre in Paris, the Mona Lisa was assessed at US$100 million on 14 December 1962. Taking inflation into account, the 1962 value would be around US$970 million in 2022.

The most expensive and valuable piece at the Louvre Museum is undoubtedly the Mona Lisa (La Gioconda) by Leonardo da Vinci. While the painting is technically "priceless" because the French government is legally prohibited from selling it, its estimated value for insurance purposes is staggering. In 1962, the Mona Lisa was assessed at $100 million for insurance, which, when adjusted for inflation in 2026, would exceed $900 million to $1 billion, making it the highest-valued painting in the world. Beyond its monetary worth, the painting is the museum's greatest asset in terms of "cultural capital," drawing millions of visitors annually who specifically come to catch a glimpse of her enigmatic smile. Other incredibly valuable items in the collection include the Regent Diamond, which is part of the French Crown Jewels and is valued at over $60 million, and ancient masterpieces like the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. However, none of these reach the astronomical cultural or financial valuation of Leonardo’s masterpiece, which remains protected behind bulletproof glass and sophisticated climate control systems in its dedicated gallery.