"A 13th-century copy of the Magna Carta, a milestone of English freedom, will be offered for sale in New York in December", Sotheby's auction house said Tuesday.
It is estimated to sell for $20 million to $30 million. The document was on display at the National Archives in Washington for more than 20 years until last Thursday.
What is the document? King John was forced by barons to agree to the charter in 1215. It guaranteed that freemen would not be imprisoned or deprived of property without due process, including a right to a speedy trial before a jury.
How rare is it? Versions of the Magna Carta were issued in 1216, 1217, 1225 and 1264 by John's son, King Henry III.
How old is this copy? The copy offered by Sotheby's for sale on Dec. 10 is dated 1297.
The copy is one of only four remaining of the 1297 charter.
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