Imagine stumbling upon a dusty old manuscript at an auction, buying it for just £20 ($27.50), and finding out nearly 80 years later that it’s actually worth £16 million.

That’s exactly what happened with a document Harvard University picked up back in 1946—believed to be just a replica of the Magna Carta.

But now, thanks to high-tech scans and a bit of historical sleuthing, it turns out Harvard might have been holding onto a priceless piece of world history all this time.

Harvard’s “Copy” of Magna Carta Is Actually the Real Deal

Back in the mid-20th century, Harvard Law School purchased what was described in an auction catalogue as a worn, water-damaged “copy” of the Magna Carta from the year 1327.

At the time, no one thought much of it—after all, the prevailing belief was that only six original copies of this legendary document still existed.

But fast forward to 2025, and things have dramatically changed.

After a detailed investigation led by King’s College London and the University of East London, it turns out this “copy” isn’t a copy at all.

It’s an original version of the Magna Carta, and it’s been sitting in Harvard’s archives all along.

What Gave It Away? A Historian’s Hunch and Some High-Tech Scanning

It all started when Professor David Carpenter, a medieval history expert at King’s College London, was researching unofficial versions of the Magna Carta and stumbled upon a digitised version on Harvard Law School’s website.

Something about it caught his eye. The handwriting. The size.

The style of the letters. It all looked too authentic to be a mere reproduction.

Carpenter reached out to fellow historian Professor Nicholas Vincent from the University of East Anglia.

Together, they compared the Harvard document to the known originals, examining everything from dimensions—19.2 inches by 18.6 inches—to the unique way the capital “E” was written at the start of “Edwardus.” All the signs pointed to authenticity.

UV Light and Spectral Imaging Confirm the Truth

To be sure, Harvard librarians conducted ultraviolet and spectral imaging of the manuscript.

These cutting-edge scans revealed that the text matched original versions of the Magna Carta line-for-line.

In other words, what had long been thought of as an unremarkable relic was actually the real thing—an authentic Magna Carta from 1300, reissued by King Edward I.

A Link to a Lost Charter in Appleby?

Even more intriguing, historians now believe this might be the lost Magna Carta issued to the borough of Appleby in Westmorland.

The document had ended up at auction in 1945, sold by Air Vice-Marshal Forster “Sammy” Maynard.

He had inherited it from anti-slavery campaigners Thomas and John Clarkson, who were also close friends of poet William Wordsworth in the Lake District.

This historical paper didn’t just travel through time—it journeyed through people connected to some of the most transformative movements in British history.

Why the Magna Carta Still Matters Today

First drafted in 1215, the Magna Carta is often described as the cornerstone of modern democracy.

Though King John’s original version was quickly annulled, the 1300 reissue by Edward I included powerful promises—protection of church rights, limits on taxation, and access to fair justice.

Four clauses from that era still remain in UK law today, including the guarantee of due legal process.

Professor Carpenter described this Harvard version as a “fantastic discovery,” emphasizing its role in the fight for freedoms that still resonate today.

“It’s not just some faded, stained copy,” he said. “It’s an original—one of the most important legal documents ever created.”

From a Dusty Auction Table to a Global Icon

Back when Harvard snapped up this document for pocket change, no one imagined it would later be worth millions or have this level of historical significance.

In 2007, a similar original sold for $21.3 million, which gives a hint at how truly valuable this forgotten manuscript might be.

Professor Vincent summed it up perfectly: “Ask anyone to name the most famous document in the world, and they’ll likely say Magna Carta.”

And now, it turns out Harvard had one of those priceless originals tucked away for decades, hidden in plain sight.