$7.2 Million: The Purchase of Alaska (1867)

In 1867, the United States acquired over 586,000 square miles of land with a single check.

Issued by the U.S. Treasury and signed by Secretary of State William H. Seward, this document finalized the purchase of Alaska from the Russian Empire for $7.2 million — a decision once ridiculed as “Seward’s Folly,” and later recognized as one of the most consequential land purchases in history.

There were no ceremonies.

No celebrations.

Just a government check that quietly reshaped the geopolitical future of North America.

This piece is presented as a historically accurate archival reconstruction, preserving the formal language, structure, and restraint of the original financial document.

HISTORICAL DETAILS :

Document: U.S. Treasury Check

Date: August 1867

Amount: $7,200,000

Issued By: United States Treasury

Signed By: William H. Seward

Transaction: Purchase of Alaska from the Russian Empire

FRAMES : not included

This artwork is a historical archival reconstruction based on documented records.

It is not an original document nor an exact photographic facsimile, but a faithful visual recreation intended for educational and collectible purposes.

EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY

Product information: Generic brand, 2 year warranty in EU and Northern Ireland as per Directive 1999/44/EC

Warnings, Hazard: For adults, Blank product sourced from USA (JONDO) and Japan (Printify Choice)

Care instructions: If the print does gather any dust, you may wipe it off gently with a clean, dry cloth.