Rare documents signed by presidents, historic figures hit auction block
Documents signed by George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and John F. Kennedy are included in the auction
Rare items signed by historical figures, including some of American’s Founding Fathers and presidents, are hitting the auction block next week.
On Aug. 17, University Archives is holding an online auction titled "Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books" with 537 lots for sale, including documents signed by George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and John F. Kennedy.
The auction has at least 12 categories ranging from "Presidential" and "Early American," to "Entertainment," "Civil Rights," "Science" and "World Leaders," according to a press release.
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Items from figures such as Benedict Arnold, Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, Muhammad Ali and Helen Keller will be up for auction.
This land survey from present-day West Virginia is one of the earliest documents signed by George Washington, from 1752, according to University Archives. (University Archives / Fox News)
"At 537 lots, this sale is our largest ever, eclipsing the previous company record-holder, our 534-lot auction held January 6th," John Reznikoff, president and owner of University Archives, said in a statement.
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"The sale boasts a spectacular variety of items representing the best of U.S. Presidential, Early American and the Civil War/Western collecting categories, plus music, sports, art and literature," Reznikoff added.
One item up for auction next week is a survey of a tract of land in then-Virginia (but is in today’s West Virginia) signed by George Washington in 1752. The document is expected to sell for between $20,000-$24,000, the press release said.
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A receipt for the Pennsylvania Gazette that was signed by Benjamin Franklin in 1756 is also hitting the auction block next week and is expected to sell for between $9,000-$10,000, according to the press release.
Benjamin Franklin signed this receipt (top right) in 1756 for his Pennsylvania Gazette, the newspaper he created in the late 1720s. (University Archives / Fox News)
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The auction will also include two items – a signed personal check and a typed letter – from John F. Kennedy’s failed Democratic Vice Presidential bid in 1956. The items will be sold as one lot, which is expected to bid for between $15,000 and $17,000.
These two items from John F. Kennedy – a signed personal check and a letter – will be sold as one lot, which is expected to fetch between $15,000-$17,000. (University Archives / Fox News)
The "Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books" auction, held by University Archives, will begin on Wednesday, Aug. 17, at 10:30 a.m. EDT.