The original 13 rules for the game of basketball that were written down by Dr. James Naismith at a Springfield, Mass., YMCA will be put up for auction in New York and are expected to bring in at least $2 million.

The auction will take place on Dec. 10 for what is considered "the birth certificate of one of the world's most popular sports."

Ian Naismith, the foundation's founder and grandson of James Naismith, said it was a family decision to put the rules on the auction block and give the money to the Naismith charity.

"We need to take the money and work the money back into kids," Ian Naismith said.

"We call it recycling. With the economy going south the last couple of years, my stroke, my wife passing away, it was more important to me to have the game go back into the kids. It's what Dr. Naismith wanted."

James Naismith penned the 13 rules on Dec. 21, 1891.