Many see today’s MAGA movement as the natural outgrowth of a groundbreaking speech delivered in 1980. Now President Reagan’s recently unearthed notes for that speech are up for grabs – with a six-figure price tag.

The political artifact laying out Reagan’s closing arguments for the 1980 presidential debate against incumbent Jimmy Carter includes his famous question: “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” The speech was recently acquired by The Raab Collection, a Philadelphia-based historical documents dealer, and is being offered for $235,000. 

Reagan used the notes to memorize his speech since they could not be referred to during the televised debate. They also bear a line, echoed by President Trump decades later, calling on voters to help “make America great again.”

The Raab Collection’s namesake, Nathan Raab, describes the notes as a monumental piece of history.

“It is the most expensive single document we’ve ever sold,” Mr. Raab told the New York Sun. “Reagan’s speech that night helped secure his election, and that election had a great impact on the course of American history starting in 1980 and continuing to today.”

“It’s not an accident that the same phrases that Reagan wrote in this speech, which originated with him, are still quoted today.”

The document is a handwritten revision of a draft for his closing remarks authored by adviser David Gergen, who presented it to the candidate during prep the day before the debate. After making edits, Reagan decided to create his own version adding preferred talking points he had been using on the campaign trail. 

His talking points include, “Ask selves – better off? Can you afford to buy, are unemployment lines shorter, are you more able to buy homes?” and “Join us in a crusade to make America great again.”

The notes were left in the hotel room and, after the debate, given to an unidentified aide who has held them for the past 45 years.

“It was given to him within an hour of the end of the debate and he’s retained it this entire time,” Mr. Raab told the Sun, adding that the former aide decided to sell the document because he felt he could put the money to good use and that it was time to find a new owner.

“When people decide to sell these things, they have their own personal reasons,” Mr. Raab said. “It’s usually that they’ve gotten to a point where they’re not sure who will inherit it, and they want to make sure that it’s well taken care of. It’s typically not solely a monetary decision.”

During the election year 1980, Carter was running for a second term against Reagan, who had served as governor of California from 1967 to 1975. For much of the campaign, it was a tight race; some polls even had Carter ahead until October 28, the night of the final presidential debate.

Watched by 80.6 million viewers, the debate was a watershed moment for Reagan, whose performance and powerful rhetoric won over voters, leading to his landslide victory.

Mr. Raab says that prospective buyers have already come forward, but the political artifact is still for sale.

“Typically, what happens is there’s a process of inquiry,” he said, adding that many people request high quality scans of a document before they decide to pull the trigger.

But unlike an auction house, there is no opportunity for history buffs to get into a bidding war. Mr. Raab stresses that his organization is conducting a first-come, first-served sale of Reagan’s speech.

“If someone else were to come in, offer $50,000 more, I would feel a moral obligation to honor my original agreement, even though it costs me money.”