In 1947 an antique dealer in Surry, England offered the first Charter of Carolina for sale. State officials and historians were interested in obtaining the document. It was possible that all states that lay in part or in whole within the territory of Carolina at the time of the Charter would want the document. North Carolina officials first established the authenticity of the Charter.

The interested parties, led by Dr. Christopher Crittenden, Director of the State Department of Archives and History, obtained confirmation from a number of experts that the Charter was genuine. Because the legislature was not in session, money for its purchase had to be obtained by means other than through an appropriation. Private citizens donated to the cause.

Because the Charter was to be bought by the State of North Carolina, the dealer reduced his original price from $10,000 to $8,000. About the time the purchase was to be made, Great Britain reduced the value of its currency as it related to the United States dollar. It therefore took fewer dollars to meet the price stated in pounds by the dealer. The purchase finally came to slightly over $6,000.

The Carolina Charter was purchased and presented to the state in 1949.