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Rediff.com  » News » Magna Carta sold for $21.3 million at NY auction

Magna Carta sold for $21.3 million at NY auction

Last updated on: December 19, 2007 11:02 IST
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Magna Carta, the historic 800-year-old English manuscript detailing the rights of man, was sold at an auction at Sotheby's for US$ 21.3 million on Tuesday.

The manuscript was bought by an unknown buyer who bid for the document over the telephone. However, the Magna Carta was sold at a relatively lower price as it was expected to fetch as much as US$ 30 million, according to pre-sale estimates.

The manuscript sold at the Sotheby's auction is one if the 17 existing copies of the Magna Carta. The rest of the copies belong to various cathedrals and universities across Britain. Australia also possesses a copy of the landmark manuscript, which is made of sheepskin.

The royal manuscript was first issued in 1215 and finally sealed by British monarch King Edward I in 1297. It is perceived as a landmark document in the evolution of the rights of man.

The Magna Carta had set the standards for similar documents, including the US Declaration of Independence.

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