Key facts
- A rare copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence has been discovered at The National Archives in the UK.
A volunteer at Britain's National Archives has discovered a rare Exeter printing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. This copy, printed in mid-July 1776, is one of 11 known surviving copies and the only one found outside the United States.
The discovery of this rare document provides a unique historical artifact and offers insight into the capture of American ships during the Revolutionary War.
A volunteer at Britain’s National Archives has discovered a rare copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence among 18th-century Royal Navy captain’s papers. Michael Scurr, a volunteer, found the document, identified as an Exeter printing, attached to papers from the American privateer ship Dalton, captured in December 1776. This version, printed in Exeter, New Hampshire, between July 16-19, 1776, is one of only 11 known copies and the only one located outside the United States. The document was seized by the Royal Navy when HMS Raisonable captured the Dalton off the coast of Portugal. It was listed as 'another paper' among the ship's seized documents and had remained hidden in state archives for centuries. Following conservation work, the document will be displayed at The National Archives' exhibition on the path to American independence.
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