For less than the estimated $50 million it would cost to buy a draft of America’s Declaration of Independence, autographs of virtually all the 56 signers are going up for auction next week in a rare chance at purchasing history.
Alexander Historical Auctions, whose practice of finding historical relics we’ve charted for years, is offering up autographs of 53 of the 56, including the exceedingly rare signature of Thomas Lynch Jr. of South Carolina.
Alexander President Bill Panagopulos told Secrets that Lynch signatures rarely come up for auction and are expensive as a result, even as much as those for another rarity, Button Gwinnett.
“The most recent examples of Lynch’s signature to come to market, a partly-printed signed document, realized nearly $215,000 in 2016. Prices for Gwinnett’s signature, as a more recognizable name, are comparable and often exceed that value,” he said.
The online auction occurs Monday and Tuesday and can be accessed here.
In Lynch’s case, the document shows just the signing of his last name. There are only 64 known examples of his signature. It could bring $15,000 at hammer time.
The Declaration of Independence signers not in the sale are Gwinnett, Benjamin Franklin, and George Taylor. Panagopulos said Taylor and Franklin autographs are easily found.
The only other way to collect all the names of the signers would be to find a draft of the Declaration and might cost a bit more. Said the auctioneer, “If someone got their hands on a draft of the Declaration, which was penned by Thomas Jefferson, it would be like winning Powerball — figure $20-50 million, or perhaps a multiple of that!”
