Rare American Flag Sells for $46,740

An extremely rare 1804 American flag with 17 stars and 17 stripes sold in May for $46,740. It had been owned by the descendants of post-Revolutionary War naval officer and hero Stephen Decatur, Jr. Decatur was killed in an Aug. 3, 1804, U.S. attack on ships in Tripoli harbor by a Tripolitan captain feigning surrender during the boarding of a vessel. The flag is handsewn and measures 69 by 88 inches with a narrow sleeve on the hoist for a rope formed by folding the fabric and securing it with a simple line of stitching.

The use of a 17-star and 17-stripe flag was never official, and only one other flag with 17 stars and 17 stripes is known to exist that was made during the period of Ohio’s admission as the 17th state. It wasn’t until 1818 that Congress passed an act to reduce and then keep the number of stripes at 13 to honor the original colonies while continuing to add a new star with each new state that was admitted.

Photo: Morphy Auctions