Magna Carta Copy Sells at Auction for $21.3 Million

By Margot Adler

Published December 18, 2007 at 4:00 PM EST

A copy of the Magna Carta was sold at auction Tuesday evening for $21.3 million to David Rubenstein, the founder of a private equity firm.

Rubenstein plans to keep the handwritten English charter at the National Archives, where it's been on display for years.

The agreement signed in 1215 between King John and rebellious English barons mentions things like the right to a trial and the idea that no one is above the law. It's considered one of the most important legal documents in the history of democracy.

There are 17 versions of the handwritten English charter in the world. Only two copies exist outside England: one in Australia and the one auctioned off Tuesday at Sotheby's in New York City.

Federal funding is gone.

Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

That means $2.1 million per year that Connecticut Public relied on to deliver you news, information, and entertainment programs you enjoyed is gone.

The future of public media is in your hands.

All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.

Donate

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

Federal funding is gone.

Donate