Magna Carta Auction

An 800 year old copy of the Magna Carta was sold at an auction on December 18, 2007 for $21.3 million. The buyer was David Rubinstein, co-founder of the Carlyle Group private equity firm. Rubinstein said that he would return the document to its display at the National Archives, where it was exhibited for 20 years until shortly before the auction.

Fast Facts

1. Dated 1297
2. Carries the seal of King Edward I of England
3. One of 17 copies in existence
4. Only copy in the United States
5. Previously owned by Ross Perot
6. Proceeds from the sale went to the Ross Perot Foundation
7. "Magna Carta" is Latin for "Great Charter"

Quotes

1. "I have always believed that this was an important document to our country, even though it wasn't drafted in our country. I think it was the basis for the Declaration of Independence and the basis for the Constitution."—David Rubinstein
2. "It's a privilege to be an owner of it, but I'm really just a temporary custodian of it because it's really a gift to the American people for them to be able to see it."—David Rubinstein
3. "It's actually amazing that this has come to auction, it's quite remarkable. It's the only time Magna Carta has ever been sold at auction and it's quite possibly the only time it ever will be."—David Redden, Vice Chairman of Sotheby's Auctions

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