Historic Mason-Dixon Line Map to Auction in October
The rare, hand-drawn map of the border between Maryland and Pennsylvania will be sold in an Asheville auction.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Geography
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An original, hand-drawn map of the Mason-Dixon Line is set for a livestreamed auction on October 29, 2026. Experts estimate the historic document will fetch between $800,000 and $1.2 million.
Why it matters
The survey was originally commissioned to settle a significant border dispute between Maryland and Pennsylvania. Its sale offers a rare look at a document that played a pivotal role in American geography and political history.
The hand-drawn map measures 76 inches in length and 6.5 inches in height. It has been preserved through mounting on Japanese rice paper.
The players
Brunk Auctions
This is an auction house based in Asheville that specializes in estate collections and rare historical artifacts.
Benjamin Chew
He was a prominent colonial lawyer and jurist whose family held ownership of the map for decades.
Malcolm S. Forbes
He was a noted publisher and collector of historical documents who purchased the map in 1982.
Princeton University
This is a private Ivy League research university that maintains a section of the Mason-Dixon map in its institutional collection.
The details
This artifact, which was famously owned by the family of Benjamin Chew, was later purchased by Malcolm S. Forbes for $360,000 in 1982. A section showing the Delaware-Maryland border is currently housed at Princeton University.
Timeline
The original Mason-Dixon Line survey was conducted in the 1760s.
The document was utilized during the Missouri Compromise in 1820.
Malcolm S. Forbes acquired the map for his collection in 1982.
The map changed ownership again in 2002.
The public auction is scheduled for October 29, 2026.
The Big Picture
The document serves as a material witness to the Missouri Compromise, anchoring its historical significance in American political navigation. Its emergence highlights the ongoing legacy of the survey in shaping early national borders.
Collectors and historians can monitor the auction results to gauge current market interest in primary American survey documents. The sale highlights the enduring value of original colonial survey records in the private market.
The takeaway
This auction provides a rare opportunity to track the valuation of significant colonial cartography. Interested parties should watch the auction results to understand how historical document pricing is evolving.
What happens next
The livestreamed auction will take place on October 29, 2026, where the final sale price will be determined.
Further reading
Learn more about local historical documentation in the Geography section.
Live Poll
Should historically significant American documents be prioritized for public ownership over private sales?
