Rare 'Star-Spangled Banner' copy to sell in NYC

[November 23, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- An 1814 first edition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" is heading for the auction block in New York City. It's estimated to go for $200,000 to $300,000 at the sale early next month.

Christie's auction house says it's the only known copy in private hands and one of only 11 first-edition copies known to exist. The others are in institutions or university libraries. The auction is scheduled for Dec. 3.

Francis Scott Key wrote a first draft of the poem in September 1814 after witnessing the British bombard Baltimore's Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.

The poem was then set to music and publisher Thomas Carr rushed the song to print, resulting in typos and Key's name being omitted. The first edition also called it "A Patriotic Song." The song wasn't officially recognized as the national anthem until 1931.

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Online:

http://www.christies.com/

[Associated Press]

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