A rare document written and signed by President Abraham Lincoln sold for $2.2 million at auction on Thursday, collecting more than twice the projected estimates.
Dallas-based Heritage Auction advertised the document, which contains the last passage of Lincoln's famous second inaugural address, including the well-known line, "With malice toward none; with charity for all."
The buyer at the New York City auction asked to remain anonymous.
The manuscript had been in the family of Lincoln's Secretary of the Interior, John Palmer Usher, until they recently decided to put it up for auction, according to Heritage, which estimated the book would sell for $1 million.
ABC News reported that Lincoln signed the document for Usher's 10-year-old son just six weeks before the president was assassinated in 1865.
"This is just one of five manuscripts of that particular speech," said Sandra Palomino, director of rare manuscripts at Heritage Auctions, "so it's an understatement to call it rare. Lincoln was not one to just scribble a quote for someone. It's likely that this was written on request."
The signature and passage are on the second blank leaf in a book of autographs, and it contains the entire 13 lines of the
Inaugural Address' last passage, The Associated Press reported.
According to the Kenneth W. Rendell Gallery, Lincoln signatures aren't rare because of all the documents he signed as president. Online, the gallery offers framed letters signed by Lincoln for sale from $22,500 and up.
Lincoln memorabilia are listed on eBay, and a framed signature of the beloved president was listed there for $40,000 or best offer this week.
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