Harvard's $27 Magna Carta: A Priceless Find

Harvard's Find of the Century: $27 Magna Carta Now Worth Millions

A Luck Like No Other

Harvard Law School caused a stir after it was revealed that the Magna Carta it got in 1946 for an incredible $27.50 was actually a real one from the year 1300. The document was obtained from Sweet & Maxwell, a legal book dealer, and it was thought to be only a replica. Lately, it has been established by two scholars that it is the original one, giving a fresh impetus to the already vibrant academic circle.

A Revolutionary Law

The Magna Carta started the process and was first published in 1215, and today it is a norm in the law of personal rights whereby as a legally binding part of the governance it stands as an icon representing the rule of law and individual rights. The find of the 1300 version under Harvard's roof illustrates the satisfaction of the document's lasting community, and it offers a unique opportunity to look back at the medieval courts and law as they were. This troubled piece of the puzzle puts the Magna Carta's history and its influence on modern governance in a new light.

Value for Money

Although the book was sold for a paltry sum in the beginning, now that it has been declared an original 1300 Magna Carta, it is worth millions. On the other hand, the financial aspect matters little compared to the cultural and the academic value that it adds to Harvard and the entire historical community.