One of the very few copies of the Magna Carta is going to auction. The only copy in America has been on display in the National Archives, but is owned by Ross Perot, who bought it in 1984 for 1.5 million dollars.
The Perot Magna Carta dates to 1297 and was endorsed by King Edward I. The National Archives said that of the 17 original versions that still exist, 4 are from the reign of John; 8 are from Henry III; and 5 are from Edward I. Mr. Neilson said that some jurists consider the Perot Magna Carta to be the most important one because it was the one that was entered into the statute books in England.
Sotheby’s is expected to auction off the document in December. It may bring as much as 20-30 million dollars! Link -via Metafilter
I went to the British Library a few years ago. While standing in the dark quiet display room, reverently standing by the case which contained a copy of Magna Carta, or staring at the earliest copy of Beowulf, or admiring Charlotte Bronte's handwritten manuscript, I became horrified to realize that most people who entered that room went straight to the Beatles' display.
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Hey! Why are some of the word redacted in this copy?
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