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AROUND THE WORLD 4: Expensive Voltaire Letter

A letter is worth big bucks--if it’s written by Voltaire.

An auction house in Paris sold 26 letters written by the French philosopher to the Russian Empress Catherine the Great to a private collector for 583,000 euros ($750,000) on June 6.

Alexander Khochinsky was the lucky bidder who won the letters for his client. Khochinsky refused to reveal his client's identity. However, Khochinsky did say that the letters would be returned to Russia.

The letters were written in the late 18th century. In his correspondence, Voltaire discussed foreign policy and the Ottoman Empire with the empress.

Voltaire, the pen name for Francois-Marie Arouet, is considered by many to be a great philosopher and writer. One of his better known works is "Candide."

--Written by Teresa Liao

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