An original copy of the Magna Carta has sat in Harvard Law School’s library for decades without anyone realizing it. Since 1946, the university thought it only had a copy of the medieval document—which established that kings are not above the law and set out other civic rights—having paid just $27.50 for it after World War II. However, British academics now believe that what is on display at the library is actually an original version dating back to 1215, The New York Times reported. Original copies of the Magna Carta are extremely rare, and until now, it was believed that only six still existed. In 2007, one version of the document from the 1300s sold for $21.3 million. Nicholas Vincent, a professor of medieval history at Britain’s University of East Anglia, noted the significance of Harvard finding out about the document as it comes under attack from the Trump administration. “In this particular instance, we are dealing with an institution that is under direct attack from the state itself, so it’s almost providential it has turned up where it has at this particular time,” he told The Times.
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