Star spangled banner copy sells for $506,500
December 6th, 2010 - 10:44 pm ICT by Aishwarya BhattNew York City, Dec 6 (THAINDIAN NEWS) “The Star-Spangled Banner” that was eventually adopted as the national anthem for the United States has been auctioned for more than half a million dollars. It was sold off during an auction in Christie’s auction house in New York City.
The 1814 first edition poem is currently the only one that is known to be in private hands. Before the auction, it was estimated that it will fetch anything between $200,000 and $300,000. It however performed better than that when it was sold for $506,500 on Friday.
The auction house revealed that it was an anonymous telephone bidder that finally managed to beat the final bid. There are eleven of first edition copies of the poem that are known to exist currently. The other ten are known to be in the hands of institutions and libraries.
The first draft of the poem was written by Francis Scott Key in September 1814 after he witnessed the bombardment of the Baltimore’s Fort McHenry by the British in 1812.
The poem which was converted to a song was later in 1931 adopted as the national anthem of the United States.
- Anonymous buyer bids $500K for Star-Spangled Banner first edition - Dec 04, 2010
- Flag Day in the USA 2010, Happy 125th! - Jun 15, 2010
- It's the Star Spangled Banner's birthday! - Sep 15, 2010
- Today is Flag Day - Jun 14, 2012
- Munch's 'The Scream' sold for record $119 million at U.S. art auction - May 03, 2012
- How George M. Cohan and Francis Scott Key Shaped America - Jun 08, 2009
- Taylor's pearl fetches record money - Dec 14, 2011
- 'Black tulip of US literature' expected to fetch record price at NY auction - Dec 04, 2009
- Jim Cornelison Hired By Chicago Blackhawks As Full Time National Anthem Singer - Jan 17, 2011
- Christina Aguilera invited to sing do-over of anthem - Feb 09, 2011
- Olympic tennis: US flag blows away at ceremony - Aug 05, 2012
- Andy Warhol's self-portrait sells for $17 million - Feb 17, 2011
- Bob Dylan's handwritten lyrics fetch $422,500 at auction - Dec 12, 2010
- Rembrandt masterpiece sells for over $33 mn - Dec 09, 2009
- Collection of classical Indian, Asian art creates record - Mar 21, 2012
Tags: anonymous telephone, auction house, banner copy, bombardment, christie, edition copies, first draft, fort mchenry, francis scott key, half a million, institutions, libraries, million dollars, national anthem, new york city, poem, private hands, star spangled banner, united states