Would you like a bag for that Declaration of Independence?
February 24, 2007
Michael Sparks was shopping in a thrift store in Nashville last March. He noticed a “yellowed, shellacked, rolled-up document”. Upon asking the clerk “how much?”, the clerk labeled it $2.48.
Through a little research online Michael learned that the old document he bought happened to be 1 of 200 official copies of the Declaration of Independence commissioned by John Quincy Adams in 1820.
The document is up for auction on March 22nd with an opening bid of $125,000 and is expected to go for at least twice that.
When asked to comment, the clerk that sold the Declaration continuously smacked himself in the face.
12 Comments
Elizabeth Kleinert, Boothbay, ME said on February 24, 2007...
does anyone know where the other 200 copies are?
Ross Hill from Thrive said on February 24, 2007...
Ouch.
Aaron said on February 24, 2007...
I don’t know if I would sell a copy of the Declaration of Independence I mean that is priceless. Could you imagine having that as a family heirloom?
WOW.
Kevin said on February 24, 2007...
I’d sell in a heartbeat. What a lucky find!
SSM said on February 24, 2007...
I’m with Kevin. Get that million % ROI
Eric said on February 24, 2007...
That’s a tough call…I’d probably sell it. That’s a house right there, buddy.
TheBillfold said on February 24, 2007...
Yes, I would sell immediately - found money. I’m envious. Nothing like that has ever happened to me!
terra said on February 24, 2007...
I somehow stumbled upon your guy’s website, and I love it. Great stuff!
Aaron said on February 24, 2007...
What if you sat on it for another 10 years it would most definitely increase in value.
Secondly, with important American history like that I would feel the responsibility of only selling it to a responsible buyer.
A big thing these days are people who buy artifacts like that and then cut them into pieces and sell them. It’s worth more if they sell off the pieces than it is whole. Lame.
SSM said on February 24, 2007...
10 yrs isnt going to make something 200 years old increase all that drastically in value.
Aaron said on February 24, 2007...
I think you would be surprised. Art, artifacts, and collectibles can have explosive growth in short periods of time.
They have a their general increase in value just like real estate but they are also subject to more unmeasurable factors.
- Buzz
- Popularity
- Rarity
- and the good old mood of the crowd bidding
Art pieces that are 300 years old have been known to double or quadruple in less time.
Travis said on February 24, 2007...
I don’t think I could’ve held onto it as long as the person that found it did, a year.
Having to worry about the security of the document would drive me nuts.
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