What Harvard Law School's $27.50 purchase in 1946 turns out to be an original 1300 Magna Carta?
Asked by: Lorenzo Stark | Last update: February 24, 2026Score: 4.6/5 (57 votes)
Harvard Law School's $27.50 purchase in 1946, initially thought to be a 1327 copy, was revealed in 2025 to be a rare, genuine original Magna Carta from 1300, a definitive version of the charter that established the rule of law and influenced U.S. founding documents, making it a priceless artifact confirmed by medieval historians. Known as HLS MS 172, its authenticity was confirmed through UV light and spectral imaging, revealing handwriting and text identical to other known 1300 originals, making it one of only seven known surviving copies.
Is Harvard Law School's $27.50 Magna Carta copy is now an invaluable original 1300 version?
Purchased for $27.50 in 1946 and initially thought to be a copy, HLS MS 172 is instead a genuine issue from 1300, “the final, definitive, authoritative Magna Carta, and … what is on the statute book of the United Kingdom,” said David Carpenter, a professor of medieval history at King's College London.
Did Harvard buy the Magna Carta?
The discovery by leading Magna Carta experts from King's College London and the University of East Anglia (UEA) means the document, which Harvard Law School acquired in the 1940s, is just one of just seven from King Edward I's 1300 issue of Magna Carta that still survive.
How much is an original copy of the Magna Carta worth?
The manuscript's value is hard to estimate, although it is fair to say that its price tag of under $30 (about $500 today) must make it one of the bargains of the last century. A 710-year-old version of Magna Carta was sold in 2007 for $21.3 million.
Is Harvard's inexpensive Magna Carta copy found to be rare 1300 original?
BOSTON (AP) — Harvard University for decades assumed it had a cheap copy of the Magna Carta in its collection, a stained and faded document it had purchased for less than $30. But two researchers have concluded it has something much more valuable — a rare version from 1300 issued by Britain's King Edward I.
Harvard’s Cheap Magna Carta Copy Turns Out To Be A Priceless Treasure | Harvard Discovery
Where is the original copy of the Magna Carta kept?
Only four original copies of Magna Carta survive. Two are kept in the British Library (one of which was badly damaged by fire in 1731), one in Salisbury cathedral, and one in Lincoln castle.
Where can you see an original copy of the Magna Carta today?
Rubenstein to the American people, the National Archives is now home to the only original 1297 Magna Carta permanently displayed in the United States. It is the centerpiece of the National Archives Museum's latest permanent exhibition, “Records of Rights,” in the David M.
What does clause 52 of the Magna Carta mean?
Clause 52 of the Magna Carta means King John promised to immediately restore any lands, castles, liberties, or rights he (or his father/brother) had unjustly taken from free men without a lawful judgment by their peers, setting up a process for resolving disputes through the 25 barons if necessary, but granting a delay for cases inherited from his predecessors if he was on crusade. Essentially, it's a crucial clause enforcing immediate justice and property rights, ensuring people weren't arbitrarily dispossessed.
Who owns the Magna Carta?
In December 2007 Rubenstein purchased the last privately owned copy of Magna Carta at Sotheby's auction house in New York for $21.3 million. He has lent it to the National Archives in Washington, D.C. In 2011, Rubenstein gave $13.5 million to the National Archives for a new gallery and visitor center.
How many copies of the original Magna Carta are there?
In the 21st century, four exemplifications of the original 1215 charter remain in existence, two at the British Library, one at Lincoln Castle and one at Salisbury Cathedral. These are recognised by UNESCO on its Memory of the World international register.
Are Jews mentioned in the Magna Carta?
Yes, Jews are mentioned in the Magna Carta (1215), specifically in clauses 10 and 11, which address Jewish moneylending by preventing excessive interest and protecting widows and underage heirs from debt burdens, reflecting medieval England's complex relationship with its Jewish population and their financial activities, even as Jews were legally restricted from land ownership.
What does clause 63 of the Magna Carta mean?
Clause 63 of the Magna Carta is the concluding clause, essentially a grand finale, that reaffirms all the liberties granted throughout the charter, stating the English Church is free, all subjects have their rights and concessions forever, and that both King John and the barons have sworn to uphold these promises in good faith, sealed with witnesses at Runnymede. It serves as the ultimate confirmation that the entire charter, with its numerous feudal and legal reforms, is binding and to be observed perpetually.
Who tried to steal the Magna Carta?
Mark Royden, 47, from Kent, used a hammer to try to smash through the protective case around the 805-year-old document but failed to take it. Jurors at Salisbury Crown Court also found him guilty of criminal damage.
Is the Magna Carta real Harvard?
Harvard Law School's 'copy' of Magna Carta revealed as original. British researchers have discovered that a 'copy' of Magna Carta owned by Harvard Law School is in fact an extraordinarily rare original from 1300.
Does the original Magna Carta still exist?
In addition to the four originals of the 1215 first issues, one original from 1216 and four more each from 1217, 1225, and 1297 survive. Although Magna Carta was also reissued in other years during the thirteenth century, no originals survive from those reissues.
Does the U.S. have a copy of the Magna Carta?
The Magna Carta display in the Crypt of the U.S. Capitol features a replica of the English document whose principles underlie much of the Constitution.
Is Magna Carta based on the Bible?
The Magna Carta's affirmation of the supremacy of law is based on a previous understanding of higher law, i.e. God's law, which all men must obey. This earlier understanding can be seen in the Mosaic covenant of the Hebrew Scriptures.
How much is the Magna Carta worth today?
As for its value today, Prof Vincent said: "I would hesitate to suggest a figure, but the 1297 Magna Carta that sold at auction in New York in 2007 fetched $21m [about £10.5m at the time], so we're talking about a very large sum of money."
Who is behind the Carlyle group?
Carlyle was founded in 1987 by its three founders – Bill Conway, Dan D'Aniello, and David Rubenstein. The Carlyle Group manages $474 billion in assets under management investing in Global Private Equity, Global Credit and Carlyle AlpInvest as of September 30, 2025.
Does the Magna Carta mention God?
Yes, the Magna Carta explicitly mentions God multiple times, beginning with King John's title "by the grace of God" and stating the charter was granted "in the presence of God, and for the health of Our soul, and the souls of Our ancestors and heirs, to the honour of God, and the exaltation of Holy Church". The very first clause guarantees the freedom and rights of the English Church, underscoring its Christian framework.
What is the new law of Magna Carta?
The new law aims to improve all aspects of maritime sector concerning seafarers – from maritime schools, training, welfare and handling of crew claims. The current rule under the POEA SEC is found under Section 20. A, par.
What is the Article 52 of the Charter of Fundamental rights?
The purpose of Article 52 is to set the scope of the rights and principles of the Charter, and to lay down rules for their interpretation. Paragraph 1 deals with the arrangements for the limitation of rights. The wording is based on the case-law of the Court of Justice.
Where are the four Magna Cartas kept?
There are four extant original copies of the Magna Carta of 1215. Two of them are held by the cathedral churches in which they were originally deposited—Lincoln and Salisbury—and the other two are in the British Library in London.
What is the Clause 39 of the Magna Carta?
39. No freemen shall be taken or imprisoned or disseised or exiled or in any way destroyed, nor will we go upon him nor send upon him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land.
What does the Magna Carta say in English?
“No free man shall be seized, imprisoned, dispossessed, outlawed, exiled or ruined in any way, nor in any way proceeded against, except by the lawful judgement of his peers and the law of the land. “To no one will we sell, to no one will we deny or delay right or justice.”