Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of an open letter issued by a monarch or government, granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or to some entity such as a corporation. The opposite of letters patent are letters close (Latin: litterae clausae), which are personal in nature and sealed so that only the recipient can read their contents. Letters patent can be used for the creation of corporations or government offices, or for the granting of city status or a coats of arms. A particular form of letters patent has evolved into the modern patent granting exclusive rights in an invention. They are also common in printed diplomas and academic degrees from educational institutions. Usually such documents begin with a salutation "to all to whom these presents shall come" or even just "to all and singular". However, a document starting with such a clause may merely be a deed poll.

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