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Wednesday, December 19, 2007

The last privately-held copy stays in America

at the National Archives, but may tour internationally

Magna Carta fetches $21.3 million at Sotheby's auction

One of 17 copies, this is the only one left in private hands, but the former owner, a foundation established by Ross Perot, had mostly loaned it to the National Archives. The new owner, David Rubenstein, a lawyer and founder of The Carlyle Group, a private equities firm, intends to keep it there.

Can you imagine owning such a rare and old piece of history, a document of such importance? Normally I would say I'd prefer it in a museum's hands, but this seems to be the best of both worlds.

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