Francis Scott Key's patriotic poem "Defence of Fort McHenry" made its debut just three days after the event. Key was 35 at the time.
In 1814, the United States was still a young nation, divided by the War of 1812. Key witnessed the fighting at Fort McHenry from a distance away on a British ship where he had gone to arrange the release of an American citizen. In the morning, as the smoke cleared, he was elated to see the American flag still flying.
This was huge considering the debacle the previous month when the British captured Washington, D.C.. That flag still floating on the breeze inspired him.
Key's words were put to music, but it did not become the national anthem until 1931. That is the same year the copy of that newspaper was received.
The American Antiquarian Society has the largest trove of American newspapers in existence -- about two million issues -- and acquires about 15,000 new issues a year through gifts and purchase. When it was confirmed that they had duplicate issues of the 1814 Baltimore Patriot & Evening Advertiser,they made the decision to sell the extra copy.
The idea is to use the profits from the sale to increase the group's collection.
Christie's auction house estimates the value of this newspaper at between $300,000 and $500,000. And, my wife says I have too many old newspapers.
So, Do You Have $300,000 or More Burning a Hole in Your Pocket? --Brock-Perry
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