A Harvard copy of the Magna Carta purchased for $27 turned out to be the original

The document, which was considered an ordinary copy of the Magna Carta and was purchased by Harvard University in 1946 for only $27.5, turned out to be the original. This was reported by the Daily Mail on May 15.

The charter, created in 1215 on behalf of the English King John the Landless, was previously considered a reproduction made in 1327. At an auction 79 years ago, it was described as a "somewhat worn and damp replica."

However, a new study conducted by King's College London and the University of East Anglia has revealed that the handwriting, size and shape of the letters fully match the original documents. Until recently, it was believed that only six original copies of the charter remained in the world.

The Magna Carta is considered one of the most important legal documents in history. She laid the foundations for rights and freedoms, including protection from arbitrary taxation and access to a fair trial in the UK.

According to the publication, the estimated cost of this copy of the Magna Carta is now estimated at more than $21 million.

In 2018, in the UK, a man tried to steal the original handwritten copy of the Magna Carta, which is kept in Salisbury Cathedral. An alarm went off in the building, and law enforcement officers who arrived at the scene detained a man who matched the description compiled from the words of witnesses to the incident.