其前身設立於1971年、是一年一頒的惠特布萊德獎。主營旅遊業的惠特布萊德公司於五年前終止贊助，由科斯塔連鎖咖啡店接手並重新冠名。該獎由五個單獨的評判委員會（judging panels）從以下五個獎項分類：包括 1.小說（Best novel）、2.小說處女作（Best first novel）、3.詩歌（Poetry）、4.傳記（Biography）5.童書（Children's book）五個分類的候選名單（shortlists）中分別選出單項獎（winner）授予2.5萬英鎊獎金。最後，在五個單項獎中選出一個授以“年度圖書”（Costa Book of the Year）稱號，同時授予￡30,000獎金。
近年獲獎名單
2010
First Novel Award — Kishwar Desai, Witness the Night
Novel Award — Maggie O'Farrell, The Hand That First Held Mine
Children's Book Award — Jason Wallace, Out of Shadows
Poetry Award — Jo Shapcott, Of Mutability
Biography Award — Edmund de Waal, The Hare with Amber Eyes
2009
First Novel Award — Kishwar Desai, Witness the Night
Novel Award — Maggie O'Farrell, The Hand That First Held Mine
Children's Book Award — Jason Wallace, Out of Shadows
Poetry Award — Jo Shapcott, Of Mutability
Biography Award — Edmund de Waal, The Hare with Amber Eyes
2008
First Novel Award — Raphael Selbourne, Beauty
Novel Award — Colm Tóibin, Brooklyn
Children's Book Award — Patrick Ness,The Ask and the Answer
