Sell Your George Washington Document
Over the course of decades, The Raab Collection has worked with descendants, heirs, collectors and institutions to acquire some of the finest and most historically important signed George Washington autographs, letters and documents. Among these were descendants of Washington’s generals, cabinet members, and his close colleagues. These documents have ended up in prominent private and institutional collections.
“When the time comes to sell a document signed by George Washington, you need a partner with unmatched experience, one who appreciates and understands the history and who can find it a new, worthy home. ”
Tell Us About Your Document
“When the time comes to sell a document signed by George Washington, you need a partner with unmatched experience, one who appreciates and understands the history and who can find it a new, worthy home. ”
Selling With Raab
Benefits of Working with Raab to Sell Your George Washington Autograph
Raab’s Reputation
We are an international, multigenerational firm, whose customers include the Library of Congress, the British Library, and most of the major universities nationwide, including Yale, Harvard and many others. Your historical treasure will find a worthy home.
Financial Incentive
Simply put, we make very strong offers. Our loyal and solid client base, as well as sellers, know we have a long history of making very enticing offers and soundly beating auction estimates.
An Easy Process
We pay immediately upon receipt and inspection of your material, which means that we are generally able to issue payment either the same day or within one business day. It is all quick, prompt and done via the payment method of your choice.
Guaranteed Sale
You will not have to wait months or more for your material to go up for sale, and expose your historical treasure at public auction, only to wonder if it will sell at all. Once we receive your piece and inspect it, we issue prompt payment.
Confidentiality
We respect you & your family history, so we never discuss the identity of buyers or sellers without their explicit permission.
Experience and Knowledge
You do not need a certificate of authenticity to sell anything to us. We have more than a half century of experience and do not require, nor request, any other opinion as to authenticity.
“They were responsive, candid, and seemed to care and be very knowledgeable about the historical documents. Their offer was generous, and they said they would take care of all the details.”
Descendants of Cabinet Member Timothy Pickering on selling treasures from George Washington to Raab
Clients & Collaborators
Notable sellers, descendants, & collectors The Raab Collection has built relationships with over years of collaboration & a mutual love of history.
Educational Institutions
Governmental Organizations
Museums
Private Collectors
Private Institutions
Historical Societies
Presidential Organizations
Major Historical Sites
Our sellers hail from all over the world.
Among our sellers are the direct descendants of:
Thomas Jefferson
Ulyssess S. Grant
James Knox Polk
Andrew Jackson
Notable George Washington Documents Handled by The Raab Collection
George Washington's appointment of the First Associates Supreme Court Justice
Farewell Message of George Washington to the People
Signed Survey in the Hand of 19 Year Old George Washington
Meet the experts at the Raab Collection, who have collectively over a century of experience in the field of important historical documents.
Nathan Raab
President
Nathan Raab is a nationally recognized expert who is helping to build many of the great public and private historical collections in the country. He is one of the world’s most knowledgeable and respected experts in historical documents and authenticity and is the author of the best-selling book, The Hunt for History (Scribner, 2020). He was a long time Secretary and Director of the Nominating Committee at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Steven Raab
Founder
Steven Raab is the founder of The Raab Collection, a historian, and an internationally recognized authority in historical documents. For over fifty years, he has advanced the field through scholarship and discovery. He is the author of With the 3rd Wisconsin Badgers (Stackpole, 1999).
Selling a George Washington Document
At Raab, we have acquired documents signed by George Washington that span nearly his lifetime: from his youth as a surveyor to just days before his death. If you own a document signed by President or General Washington, and have decided to sell it, finding the right place to do so is important. For 2 generations, we have been that destination for countless sellers of signed George Washington documents. Our goal is to respect the seller, the document, and the history and that is why time and again sellers turn to us.
FAQs
The value can start at a few thousand dollars for partial documents and go much higher. George Washington signed documents appear on the market dating from his youth up until his death. His earlier documents tend to be signed surveys and letters relating to his service for the British. One sees his battlefield orders and appointments from the Revolutionary War and signed letters and documents as President conducting Executive business. There are also letters from after the war and Presidency that relate to his management of his business affairs, land acquisition and care of Mount Vernon. The content of the documents, the historical importance is the primary driver of value. The condition of course will also aid in determining the value of a historical document signed by George Washington.
The content and historical importance of a document signed by George Washington is the primary determinant of value. A letter managing the sale of crops from 1785, when he was neither fighting the war nor President, would be significantly less valuable than, for instance, one where he is writing a fellow general during the Revolution, or conducting the country’s affairs as the first President. Anything he says that casts light on his character or morality or even personality would be of value as well, giving personal insight into a historical figure.
Assigning a value to George Washington document requires detailed and up to date knowledge of the market. Assessing the historical importance, looking at condition, understanding where the individual piece of history fits within the broader context of Washington’s life and the growth of America is crucial in setting a value or an offer.
Authenticating a document signed by George Washington takes years of experience. It is like any other art: it requires care and education and diligence. This means not only looking at the signature but at the whole context of the piece. Where and when was it signed? Is this a format, pen and paper, and method of writing usually employed by Washington? Is the letter published in the Papers of George Washington? Of course, knowing his writing and signature is crucial. But it is only one of several steps we take.