The 1823 William Stone facsimile of the Declaration of Independence.
(Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Talk about a national treasure!
Behind the painting, he discovered a folded-up copy of the first printing of the Declaration of Independence.
The 1823 William Stone facsimile of the Declaration of Independence. (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
When the man took apart his purchase, he found a document folded in an envelope.
The man did not originally realize its significance, but he saved the cool discovery.
It was folded up, about the size of a business envelope.
The Assembly Room in Independence Hall, where the Declaration was adopted. (Photo: Rdsmith4 viaWikimedia Commons,CC BY-SA 2.5)
He thought it might be an early 19th-century printing and worth keeping as a curiosity.
A friend convinced the man to take the document to Sotheby’s for more information.
It turned out to be printed in 1776, part of a run of25 printedright after the signing.
Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo: DIBROVA/Depositphotos)
In 2000, it sold again for $7.4 million (about $13 million today).
This lucky thrift find certainly must have been an epic adventure for the purchaser.
In 1991, a man bought a painting for $4 because he liked the frame.
Inside, he found a first printing of the Declaration of Independence.
The Assembly Room in Independence Hall, where the Declaration was adopted.
Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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