🖊️ 11—Book & Script Legends

TREASURES

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✩ Legendary Treasures ✩

█ A-Z // Fortunes Found 🔗 - [ i ]

Books & Scripts, 11 Finds, $70 Million+

Hidden Treasures Found in Everyday Places

Some of the most astonishing treasures aren’t buried underground—they’re 'hidden' in plain sight. News reports have revealed remarkable book and manuscript discoveries in ordinary settings, from estate sales to flea markets. By exploring the map, you can trace how different treasure eras, styles, and locations have shaped these unexpected finds.

A few legendary examples from the list include:

$2 Million for a book bought at auction
$3 Million for comics found in a basement
$9 Million for a historic filing cabinet find

Overlooked for years, these surprising discoveries show how valuable treasures can be—even when hiding in plain sight. Explore the full list below the ad ☟

Vintage treasure-hunt advertising in retro cityscape.

11—Legendary Finds:

1. Victorian Vault—£10M ($15 Million) Magna Carta Found in Archive Scrapbook

📰 📅 2015 Report: In Sandwich, England, a rare 1300 copy of the Magna Carta—one of just 24 known—was discovered in a Victorian-era scrapbook in the town archive. Though damaged, it remains historically significant. Experts authenticated it and valued it at up to £10M ($15.2 million at the time). The town planned to keep it as a tourist attraction.

Story and image: 🔗 PBS News

2. Filing Cabinet Find—$9 Million for 1787 Constitution Found on Farm

📰 📽️ 📅 2024 Report: A rare 1787 copy of the U.S. Constitution was discovered inside a forgotten filing cabinet on a historic farm in North Carolina, USA, during its preparation to become a public site. The document, originally part of Governor Samuel Johnston’s collection, sold at auction for $9 million. Only a handful of copies still exist.

Story, video, and images: 🔗 CBS News

3. Bird Book Bonanza—£5.5M ($8.8M) for 1827 Audubon Birds of America Found in Scottish Library

📰 📅 2000 Report: A classic ornithological book, 'The Birds of America' by John James Audubon, resurfaced at the Mount Stuart House library on the Isle of Bute, Scotland. Misplaced since 1909, this four-volume first edition—originally purchased for £380—fetched £5.5 million (about $8.8 million USD) at a New York auction. Celebrated as the finest color plate work in ornithology, its rediscovery was especially significant due to its well-documented provenance.

Story: 🔗 The Herald

4. Map Marvel—$7.5 Million for 14th-Century Chart Bought at Estate Auction

📰 📽️ 📅 2023 Report: In the USA, a 14th-century portolan chart was purchased at auction during a virtual estate sale for $239,000. Misdated as 16th century, it was later verified as circa 1360. Originally bought in 1993 for about $85,000, the chart is now listed at $7.5 million. It's the only complete 14th-century example known outside Europe.

Story, video, and images: 🔗 Los Angeles Times

5. Declaration Discovery—$7.4 Million for 1776 Document Hidden Behind $4 Painting

📰 📅 2025 Report: In the 1980s at a Pennsylvania flea market, a buyer paid $4 for a painting and later discovered a rare 1776 US Declaration of Independence hidden in its frame. One of just 25 known first printings, it sold for $2.2 million at auction — later rising to $7.4 million in 2000 — and was praised for its pristine condition after more than 200 years.

Story and images: 🔗 UNILAD

6. Revolution Relic—$6 Million Estimated for $1,000 Auction Buy of U.S. Placecard

📰 📅 2024 Report: In the USA, a rare 18th-century Stamp Act Defiance Placard, pivotal in the American revolt against Britain, was unearthed. Valued at $4-$6 million, it's one of just two known specimens. Originally sold at a Boston auction in 1980 for less than $1,000, its rarity and historic significance render it priceless.

Story and image: 🔗 OBSERVER

7. Ten Commandments Treasure—$5 Million for 1,500-Year-Old Stone Found in Paving

📰 📽️ 📅 2024 Report: In Israel, a 1,500-year-old stone tablet inscribed with the Ten Commandments was rediscovered after being used as paving. Unearthed during a 1913 railway excavation, it later sold for $5 million at auction in New York, USA. Rare and historically significant, the stone has been preserved and is set to be donated to an Israeli institution.

Story, video link, and images: 🔗 CNN

8. Comic Cache—$3.5 Million for Trove of Comics Found in Basement Closet

📰 📅 2012 Report: In Virginia, USA, a man discovered a collection of 345 comic books in a basement closet, initially unaware of their value. The collection, which includes some of the most prized comic book issues, sold for about $3.5 million. Key highlights include a 1939 Detective Comics No. 27, featuring Batman's debut, and a 1938 Action Comics No. 1, marking Superman's first appearance.

Story and images: 🔗 TODAY

9. Superman Sensation—$3.2 Million for 1938 Comic Found in Estate Sale Chest

📰 📅 2014 Report: In the USA, a rare 1938 Superman comic, unearthed from a cedar chest during an estate sale, fetched $3.2 million at auction. Its value was highlighted by its rarity—one of the few surviving copies from an original run of 200,000—and its exceptional condition, earning a 9.0 rating on the CGC scale.

Story and image: 🔗 BBC

10. Revolutionary Relic—$3 Million for Declaration Manuscript Found in $100 Law Book

📰 📅 2025 Report: A handwritten manuscript of the Declaration of Independence, penned by Samuel Jones, was discovered inside an 18th-century law book bought for about $100 at a U.S. library sale. The manuscript, tied to New York’s ratification of the Constitution, is the only privately held 18th-century Declaration. It was expected to fetch up to $3 million at auction.

Story and images: 🔗 Fine Books & Collections

11. Journal Gem—$2.2 Million for $14K Antique Medical Book Bought at Auction

📰 📅 2024 Report: In Canada, a retired doctor discovered a rare 1555 Renaissance anatomy book by Andreas Vesalius, initially purchased at auction for $14,000. Following further research, the book was auctioned for $2.2 million due to its unparalleled historical and scientific value, marking it as a priceless find.

Story and images: 🔗 artnet

These inspiring discoveries reveal the untapped potential of everyday spaces as hidden treasure troves. Explore the top 40 finds below the ad ☟

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