A set of scholarly articles authored by the esteemed codebreaker Alan Turing, including his only chemistry paper, has been sold at auction for over £465,000. These documents, almost obliterated by their former owners who failed to appreciate their historical significance, achieved more than three times their anticipated price, establishing a new benchmark for Turing’s creations. Turing’s crucial paper, “On computable numbers,” which pioneered the idea of a ‘universal computing machine,’ was initially projected at £40,000–£60,000 but ultimately fetched £208,000. A signed edition of his PhD dissertation was appraised within the same bracket but concluded at £110,500.
Turing’s singular chemistry article, “The chemical basis of morphogenesis,” published in 1952 and central to the notion of Turing patterns, sold for £19,500, while his inaugural published work from 1935 achieved £7,800. Alongside academic contributions, the auction included personal memorabilia, such as a handwritten note from Turing’s mother, Ethel, part of the collection gifted to Turing’s friend, Norman Routledge. Following Routledge’s death in 2013, his sisters stored the documents, which were almost destroyed until a family gathering in November 2024 prompted a cousin to suggest an expert appraisal.
The papers were submitted to Hansons Auctioneers and scrutinized by their specialist department, Rare Book Auctions, which thoroughly researched and cataloged them. Charles Hanson, the manager of Hansons Auctioneers, expressed amazement at the significance of Turing’s contributions and their remarkable worth. The auction sparked worldwide interest, highlighting the importance of honoring and examining Turing’s life and accomplishments.