Historic Mason-Dixon Line map could reach 1.2 million dollars at auction

A hand drawn map of the Mason-Dixon Line that historically divided free and slave states in the United States is going up for auction. The New York Post and U.S. News and World Report both reported that the auction will take place on Thursday. The document has been remounted on a backing made of Japanese rice paper. [1][4]

The auction will be conducted as a livestreamed event by Brunk Auctions in Asheville, North Carolina. Lauren Brunk, the vice president of Brunk Auctions, called the document awe inspiring and noted how rare it is to get close to something of such historical importance. The survey was originally created by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon. [1]

The New York Post reported that the auction house expects the chart to sell for between 800,000 dollars and 1.2 million dollars. The historic document is being sold on behalf of an anonymous seller. [1]

The term Dixie has historically been used to evoke Southern regional identity, agrarian traditions, and cultural distinctiveness. In the period after the American Civil War, the name appeared frequently in literature, music, and maps. [8]