The signatures of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson as seen on the letter. (Bonhams via CNN Newsource)
A historic letter signed by three prominent Founding Fathers is expected to draw up to $1 million at auction next week. This remarkable document, bearing the signatures of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, is addressed to the “Envoy Extraordinary of the King of the Two Sicilies” and seeks to negotiate a treaty of friendship and trade, according to Bonhams, the auction house managing the sale.
Bonhams describes the letter as a unique testament to early American trade policy, possibly the only known letter signed by these three influential figures responsible for drafting the Declaration of Independence. Written in 1784, shortly after America’s hard-won independence, it reflects the uncertain but determined spirit of a young nation striving to secure its place on the global stage.
That same year, Congress tasked Adams, Franklin, and Jefferson with negotiating treaties with 20 foreign nations, hoping to strengthen America’s foothold in international affairs. The “Amity and Commerce” treaties, authorized by Congress shortly after independence and before the creation of a federal constitution, laid the groundwork for a new, trade-centered approach to foreign policy.
The auction will open with bids starting at $550,000, with Bonhams projecting the letter could reach the $1 million mark on November 12.
Rare items related to the Founding Fathers often fetch high prices at auctions. For instance, in 2017, a collection of personal documents and letters from Alexander Hamilton’s desk was sold for $2.6 million at Sotheby’s in New York.
For history enthusiasts, more items tied to early American history are set to go under the hammer soon, including a lock of George Washington’s hair, which will be auctioned by Guernsey’s in New York on November 22.
