A Magna Carta held by Harvard University’s law library, initially bought for $27.5 (about 38,000 won) about 80 years ago and believed to be a replica, has been confirmed as an authentic document signed by an English king 725 years ago.
According to reports from the BBC and others on the 14th (local time), professors David Carpenter of King’s College London and Nicholas Vincent of the University of East Anglia have discovered, after a year of research, that the document held by Harvard Law School is one of the seven genuine Magna Cartas signed by England’s King Edward in 1300.
The “Magna Carta” is considered a cornerstone of modern constitution and human rights, and the value of an authentic copy far exceeds several million dollars (tens of billion won).
The two professors found digital photos of the item labeled “HLS MS 172” on Harvard’s library website, which described it as a copy.
However, they investigated the possibility of its authenticity.
Due to the poor preservation condition of the document, the researchers conducted a detailed analysis using techniques such as ultraviolet photography and spectral imaging. Their findings confirmed that the Harvard copy matched the size, content, vocabulary, and word order of another authentic 1300 version. The unique signature style of King Edward, which included capitalizing not only the first letter E but also D, matched other authentic copies.
The Magna Carta, first issued in 1215, was reissued by later English kings up until 1300, resulting in various versions. It has been confirmed that the version held by Harvard was sold in 1945 by a descendant of the Maynard family through a Sotheby’s auction to a London bookstore company.
At the time, it was sold for 42 pounds (approximately 78,000 won). When Harvard acquired the document, they spent $27.5 (about 38,000 won), equivalent to just 7 pounds (about 13,000 won) then, according to the BBC.
Professor Vincent commented on the value of the Magna Carta, stating, “Although I’m cautious about quantifying its worth, a 1297 Magna Carta sold at a New York auction in 2007 for $21 million (about 3 billion won).”
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