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2w ago

Harvard's 'Copy' of Magna Carta Authenticated as Rare 1300 Original

The document, purchased for $27.50 in 1946, is now confirmed as one of only seven surviving Magna Carta originals issued by King Edward I.

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This photo provided by Harvard Law School shows a rare copy of the Magna Carta from 1300 sits in a display case on April 15, 2025, at Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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Overview

  • Harvard Law School's manuscript, long thought to be a 1327 copy, has been authenticated as a 1300 Magna Carta original issued by King Edward I.
  • Renowned medieval historians David Carpenter and Nicholas Vincent confirmed its authenticity using advanced imaging techniques and comparative analysis with six other known originals.
  • The document, now valued in the multimillion-dollar range, was purchased for just $27.50 in 1946 due to a wartime cataloguing error that misdated it.
  • The Magna Carta, first issued in 1215, is a cornerstone of constitutional law, establishing that rulers are subject to the law and influencing legal systems worldwide.
  • Harvard plans to preserve and potentially exhibit the manuscript, which likely originated in Appleby, England, before being sold at auction in 1945.