A pair of Abraham Lincoln’s gloves, stained with blood from the night he was killed, were displayed at Freeman’s | Hindman auction house in Chicago on May 15, 2025. AP Photo
A large collection of items linked to President Abraham Lincoln went up for auction on Wednesday. These artifacts were meant to stay on public display forever. But a long-lasting debt of $8 million forced the sale. The collection had been bought with a loan nearly 20 years ago. Now, many pieces had to be sold to pay off what was owed.
Blood-stained gloves lead the auction
One of the most talked-about items was Lincoln’s blood-stained leather gloves. He had them in his pocket the night he was killed. These gloves sold for $1.52 million, including fees. Another important piece was one of Lincoln’s handkerchiefs from the same night, which sold for $826,000. A “Wanted” poster showing suspects in Lincoln’s assassination, led by John Wilkes Booth, brought $762,500 — much higher than experts expected. The earliest known handwriting sample from Lincoln, dated 1824, also sold for over $500,000.
Auction details and proceeds
The auction took place in Chicago and included 144 artifacts, with 136 items sold. The total amount raised was $7.9 million, but this number included extra fees buyers had to pay. These fees cover the auction company’s costs. The group that owns the collection, the Lincoln Presidential Foundation, said the money would go toward paying off the debt. Any extra funds would help care for and show other Lincoln items.
Background on the collection
The foundation bought this unique collection of 1,540 Lincoln-related items in 2007. It came from a private collector in California. The goal was to help a museum and library dedicated to Lincoln in Illinois. This museum opened in 2005 in the city where Lincoln once worked as a lawyer and politician. The new items were expected to attract more visitors because they included special objects, not just old papers.
Financial struggles and controversy
Raising money for the collection was hard. The foundation had to sell some items that were not related to Lincoln. They even thought about selling more. The loan was extended at one point, but the debt remained. In 2012, questions arose about one famous item in the collection — a stovepipe hat that was said to belong to Lincoln. After a detailed study, experts found no proof the hat was Lincoln’s. That hat was not part of the recent auction.
Expert view on the sale
The auction shows how difficult it can be to keep historical treasures in public hands. Despite the collection’s importance, money problems forced tough decisions. This sale marks the end of a long chapter for Lincoln’s artifacts and highlights the challenges museums face in preserving history.
