Historical Documents Sell For Millions

Last week at Christie’s New York, Ann Bookout paid $9.8 million for George Washington’s copy of a book containing the Constitution and Bill of Rights.  Ann bought the book on behalf of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, the non-profit organization that manages George Washington’s Virginia estate.  The Association will put the book on the shelves of the Fred W. Smith National Library.  

Historical documents have sold for millions of dollars before, but the closest amount to $9.8 million that was ever paid was $3.7 million for a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, signed by Abraham Lincoln, and once owned by Bobby Kennedy.

Yesterday, another copy of the Emancipation Proclamation sold for just over $2 million.  David Rubenstein , co-founder of the Carlyle Group, bought the copy – also signed by Abraham Lincoln and part of a private collection since the 1960s. Prior to his purchase yesterday, Mr. Rubenstein already owned a signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, but he owns that one privately even though it is currently on display at the White House. Mr. Rubenstein plans to donate his new purchase to an Institute in Washington, D.C. Lincoln signed 48 copies of the Proclamation in 1864, and today only 26 are accounted for. Some are on view at universities, libraries, and historical societies across the country, while eight, including Mr. Rubenstein’s purchase yesterday, are privately owned.

See Lynn Douglass, Billionaire Snaps Up Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation for $2 Million, Forbes, June 26, 2012.

Special thanks to David S. Luber (Attorney at law, Florida Probate Attorney Wills and Estates Law Firm) for bringing this article to my attention.