Harvard Discovers Rare 1300 Magna Carta

Harvard University, which had for decades believed it possessed a cheap copy of the Magna Carta purchased for $27.50 in 1946, has now discovered it holds a rare 1300 version issued by Edward I. Researchers David Carpenter (King s College London) and Vincent Nichols (University of East Anglia) authenticated the document by comparing its dimensions, text, and handwriting to other known 1300 versions. The Magna Carta, originally established in 1215 by King John, is a foundational document for constitutional law globally, including in the United States. The newly identified document is estimated to be worth millions, with a 1297 version having sold for $21.3 million in 2007. Vincent Nichols traced the document's journey back to Appleby in Westmorland, England, and through the possession of World War I flying ace F. H. Maynard, who auctioned it in 1945. The discovery is seen as timely, given Harvard University's current clashes with the Donald Trump administration, underscoring the Magna Carta's relevance to individual liberties and institutional autonomy.