Harvard discovers valuable Magna Charter: Million worth after decades!

Harvard discovers valuable Magna Charter: Million worth after decades!

The Harvard University recently made a surprising discovery: a version of the Magna Carta, which was once considered a cheap copy, which was acquired in 1946 for only $ 27.50, is now probably considered one of the few received original documents. This was confirmed by the intensive research of historians, in particular David Carpenter, professor of medieval history, and Nicholas Vincent from the University of East Anglia. This version dates from 1300 and was published by King Edward I and is considered the last complete publication of the Magna Carta with a royal seal.

The Magna Carta, which was seen as the foundation for modern constitutions worldwide in 1215, explained its origin in the argument between King Johann Ohneland and angered nobility. The original certificate, also known as Magna Carta Libertatum, granted the revolting barons offset and restricted the king's power. Although the initial version of 1215 has been renewed and changed several times, it is a central document of political history.

historical meaning and rarity

After the current investigation by the Harvard researchers, it turned out that the version of 1300 is a very rare version. Only six known copies exist from this specific edition, while there are only four copies of the original from 1215. This discovery throws a new light on the Harvard University collection and shows that the facility has a significant historical heritage, the value of which is estimated to be several million euros.

carpenter, who discovered the document during his research on the Harvard Law School Library website in December 2023, was amazed at the ignorance of the university about the actual value of the document. However, Harvard has not expressed any intention to sell for the document, since it is considered a valuable part of the university and historical collection.

comparison with other versions

One of the best -known versions of the Magna Carta, which was issued in 1297, achieved an amount of $ 21.3 million in 2007, which corresponds to around 19 million euros. Such amounts illustrate the high cultural and historical relevance that Magna Carta still has today. It remains to be emphasized that the Magna Carta also plays a central role in the discussions about individual rights and freedoms in the USA and Great Britain, although most of their provisions have been abolished over the centuries.

The discovery of the Harvard University brings a breath of fresh air to the studies on the Magna Carta and emphasizes the continued importance of this historical document. The ongoing relevance of the Magna Carta, which influenced numerous subsequent constitutions and legal framework conditions, underlines its role as a symbol of freedom and legal claims, which has an impact on modern times.