The 13th Amendment is one of the most important documents in American history. Passed in 1865, it abolished slavery in the US, freeing about four million people. On June 26, 2025, a handwritten copy of the Amendment sold for a record $13.7 million at a Sotheby’s auction. Purchased by American billionaire Kenneth Griffin, it is the highest price ever paid for a document signed by President Abraham Lincoln. The previous auction record for a copy of the 13th Amendment was $2.4 million, set in 2016.