(September 7, 2007)--Two historical document specialists say they doubt the authenticity of a Davy Crockett letter acquired this week by the Texas Historical Commission.

State officials say they're virtually certain the Alamo defender penned it himself.

The commission announced Tuesday it had purchased the letter for $490,000 from a fine arts auctioneer.

Dated Jan. 9th, 1836, it's the last known letter Crockett wrote before he and about 200 other Alamo defenders were killed by Mexican forces led by Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.

The skeptics contend the handwriting in the letter doesn't match Crockett's handwriting on other known documents.

The state's purchase depends on the letter's authentication.

Historical Commission spokeswoman Debbi Head says the state has 120 days to have a third-party team of experts verify the letter.

Ray Simpson III, the letter's seller, says he's positive it's the original Davy Crockett letter.

Simpson said his grandfather bought the letter from a descendent of Crockett's in 1986 and misplaced it years ago.

Simpson said he and his father found it about two weeks ago in their office.

Simpson thinks the document likely could have sold for a much higher price in an open auction.

But the family wanted to offer it to Texas first.

They also knocked off $60,000 from the originally agreed upon purchase price of $550,000.

Click Here For Texas Historical Commission Web Site

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