What Would You Do If You Bought the Declaration of Independence for $2.48?

Nashville, TN - One man from Nashville, TN learns the true value of shopping in a thrift store when he finds a rare steal that will make him thousands. What would you do if you found an official copy of the Declaration of Independence for less than the cost of the average fast food value meal?

Michael Sparks, a music equipment technician, was browsing the Music City Thrift Shop last March in the city of Nashville when he saw the yellowed, rolled-up document. The thrift shop clerk marked the document at $2.48. Sparks was unaware of what a significant find he had made until later.

He went to the web to find information about his cheap discovery and whether or not it was authentic as well as what it might be worth. After some internet searches, he discovered he had purchased one of only 200 "official copies" of the Declaration of Independence which were commissioned by John Quincy Adams in the year of 1820. It was then that Sparks was made an offer from Raynors' to auction the Declaration copy.

The 184-year old copy of the Declaration of Independence will be sold at auction March 22nd at Raynors' Historical Collectible Auctions in Burlington, North Carolina. AP reports say he has earmarked the document at $125,000 but experts expect it to go for up to twice that amount, making it worth about 100,000 times what he paid for it.

In an interview by KnoxNews, "Sparks said he has paid about $4,000 to have the document conserved by removing layers of shellac." And how did the thrift store owners feel about letting this expensive find slip through their fingers for less than $3? Well, they say they're happy for Sparks.

"We love it when people find something really good," manager Kay Boner said. "That's what attracts people to come in - they think they will find that fabulous deal." (source: http://blogs.knoxnews.com/knx/silence/archives/2007/02/bargain_hunter.shtml)