<P> From December 1962 to March 1963, the French government lent it to the United States to be displayed in New York City and Washington, D.C. It was shipped on the new liner SS France . In New York an estimated 1.7 million people queued "in order to cast a glance at the Mona Lisa for 20 seconds or so ." While exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the painting was almost drenched in water because of a faulty sprinkler, but the bullet - proof glass case which encased the painting protected it . </P> <P> In 1974, the painting was exhibited in Tokyo and Moscow . </P> <P> In 2014, 9.3 million people visited the Louvre . Former director Henri Loyrette reckoned that "80 percent of the people only want to see the Mona Lisa ." </P> <P> Before the 1962--63 tour, the painting was assessed for insurance at $100 million . The insurance was not bought . Instead, more was spent on security . Adjusted for inflation using the US Consumer Price Index, $100 million in 1962 is around $782 million in 2015 making it, in practice, by far the most valued painting in the world . </P>

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