3.04

Million yuan

The price of a letter ($495,000) written by Napoleon Bonaparte auctioned at China Guardian Auctions Co in Beijing. The two-page letter was written to Prince Eugene, his son, on Feb 16, 1806, when Napoleon was king of Italy as well as emperor of France. The well-preserved letter, with Napoleon's signature, revealed his intention to use some taxes to pay the expense of stationing the military in Italy.

(China Daily 05/21/2013 page2)