Ken Griffin Buys Lincoln-Signed 13th Amendment, Emancipation Proclamation for $18M at Sotheby's

Billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin purchased two of the most iconic American historical documents signed by President Abraham Lincoln for a combined $18.1 million at Sotheby’s auction. He paid a record-breaking $13.7 million for a rare, handwritten copy of the 13th Amendment, which formally abolished slavery and is one of only four copies remaining in private hands. Griffin also acquired a signed 1864 copy of the Emancipation Proclamation for $4.4 million, which declared enslaved people in Confederate states free during the Civil War. The total sum of these purchases set a new benchmark for various-owners book auctions at Sotheby’s. Griffin expressed that these documents mark a profound step forward in American history and emphasized the importance of inspiring future generations to uphold the nation’s founding vision, especially as the country approaches its 250th anniversary. He plans to loan these treasured artifacts to a U.S. institution to educate and inspire the public.