Harvard thought it had a cheap copy of the Magna Carta. It turned out be extremely rare
BreitbartMAY 17
The document'stiming relativelyof modestthis preservationdiscovery andis catalogingparticularly oversignificant decadesas atit Harvardreinforces demonstratesthe howfundamental evenprinciples theof mostinstitutional valuableautonomy historicaland artifactsprotection canagainst bearbitrary overlookedstate inintervention. institutionalAt collections.a Thismoment oversightwhen hasHarvard potentiallyfaces costunprecedented thegovernment universitypressure millionsover incampus properpolicies, valuationthis anddocument conservationserves efforts,as highlightinga thepotent needreminder forthat moreeven rigorousstate authenticationauthorities processesmust inoperate academicwithin archiveslegal boundaries.
The document's relatively modest preservation and cataloging over decades at Harvard demonstrates how even the most valuable historical artifacts can be overlooked in institutional collections. This oversight has potentially cost the university millions in proper valuation and conservation efforts, highlighting the need for more rigorous authentication processes in academic archives.