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2w ago

Harvard Discovers $27 Purchase Is a Rare $21 Million Magna Carta Original

Scholars confirm the document as one of seven surviving 1300 Magna Carta originals, revolutionizing its historical and monetary value.

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The rare original reissue of Magna Carta is in the library of Harvard Law School
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A detailed view of an original Magna Carta copy from Salisbury Cathedral

Overview

  • Harvard Law School's 1946 purchase, believed to be a 1327 copy of Magna Carta, has been authenticated as a 1300 original issued by Edward I.
  • Experts used ultraviolet and spectral imaging to confirm the document's handwriting, dimensions, and text matched six other known originals.
  • The document, valued at $21 million, is one of only seven surviving copies of the 1300 reissue and underscores Magna Carta's constitutional legacy.
  • Scholars David Carpenter and Nicholas Vincent identified the document in Harvard's digitized archives in December 2023 and verified its authenticity by May 2025.
  • Harvard retains the document while considering public display, as researchers prepare a detailed publication on the discovery and its historical significance.