Harvard learned it has an authentic Magna Carta. In 1946, it paid less than $28 for it

Harvard University's law library recently acquired what may be the very first copy of the Magna Carta from 1300 for just $28, a discovery made possible by a chance encounter in 2023. The document was labeled as an older version but turned out to be authentic after experts noticed similarities in its handwriting and confirmed the date. This rare piece of history, originally purchased in London over a century ago for $460, is now part of Harvard's collection, offering insights into England's legal foundations that influenced the U.S. Constitution.