Magna Carta ‘copy’ bought for $27.50 now believed to be genuine
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How Harvard unknowingly bought original Magna Carta for $27.50
- A rare original 1300 Magna Carta, previously misidentified as a copy, has been discovered by Professor David Carpenter of King’s College London.
- Purchased by Harvard Law School in 1946 for a mere $27.50, the document's authenticity was confirmed through textual analysis and historical research.
- This Magna Carta, issued under King Edward I, is one of only 25 known surviving originals and represents a cornerstone of constitutional history as a royal charter of rights agreed in 1215 under King John.
- The document was mistakenly catalogued as a copy in a Sotheby's auction, leading to its undervaluation and sale.
- Harvard Law School is expected to showcase the rediscovered Magna Carta, highlighting its significance to legal and historical scholarship.