Unpublished George Washington Letter For Sale By Ardmore Collector

ARDMORE, PA — It's no secret the Main Line and Philadelphia are full of history crucial to the nation's founding.

And an Ardmore collector of historic materials has recently announced a new addition to his collection.

Nathan Raab of the Raab Collection in Ardmore's newest arrival is an unpublished letter from George Washington himself.

The letter, dated March 20, 1787, details how the general-turned first president was worried about finances.

Raab told WHYY the letter is valued at $50,000.

"This letter appears in no known compilations of Washington’s correspondence and at the time of discovery was unknown to scholars," according to the collection's website.

The letter is addressed to Israel Shreve, who served as colonel of the 2nd New Jersey Regiment in the American Revolution.

Washington had been looking to sell some land to help him personally remain solvent, despite the momentous goings-on in his and the country's lives.

While the real estate wheelings and dealings of historical figures may not seem to exciting for many, the discovery of the letter is what is more noteworthy than its contents, according to the Raab Collection.

"We’ve never before heard Washington disclose a need for funds like this, and perhaps just as surprising, the letter is unpublished," the site reads. "Unpublished letters of Washington seldom turn up anymore."

Check out the letter and its details online here.