Rare 1787 US Constitution copy goes up for auction
By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Mirlie Larose (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Video Editor)
A rare 237-year-old copy of the U.S. Constitution is up for auction in North Carolina, with bids already starting at $1 million. Brunk Auctions is handling the sale of the document, believed to be the only privately owned copy of its kind. There is no reserve price set for the auction.
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Rare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
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Click to see story on The Seattle TimesRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions – The Boston Globe
Click to see story on Boston GlobeRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
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Click to see story on NewsdayRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
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Click to see story on KIONRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on KYMARare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on Winnipeg SunRare copy of Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
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Rare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on My Mother LodeRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on RecentlyHeard: Breaking News, Latest News, Coronavirus NewsRare Copy of US Constitution up for Auction Is Expected to Sell for Millions
Click to see story on The Constitution StudyRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on theafrica.co.zaRare Copy Of The US Constitution Up For Auction Is Expected To Sell For Millions
Click to see story on nybreaking.comThis particular copy was printed in 1787 after the Constitutional Convention completed its draft of the nation’s framework. It was then sent to Congress under the Articles of Confederation, requesting that the states ratify it.
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Charles Thomson, the secretary of Congress, printed about 100 copies of the document. Only eight are known to still exist, with the other seven held in public collections.
The history of this specific copy remains unclear. Thomson likely signed two copies for each of the original 13 states, but the whereabouts of this document over the centuries is largely unknown. It resurfaced just two years ago in Edenton, North Carolina, during the clearing of a property once owned by Samuel Johnston, North Carolina’s governor in the late 1780s.
The Constitution was found in a metal filing cabinet in a neglected room filled with old furniture.
Along with the Constitution, the document included a letter from George Washington, urging states to ratify the document and noting the need for compromise to secure the nation’s future.
Auction officials have not estimated what the final sale price might be, as few similar sales offer comparison.
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The last time a comparable copy of the Constitution sold was in 1891 for $400. However, in 2021, Sotheby’s auctioned a different copy, printed for the Continental Congress, for $43.2 million, setting a record for a book or document.
Other historic items up for auction include a first draft of the 1776 Articles of Confederation and a journal from North Carolina’s 1788 convention, where representatives debated whether to ratify the Constitution.
Karah Rucker
A RARE PIECE OF AMERICAN HISTORY IS UP FOR AUCTION IN NORTH CAROLINA–A TWO-HUNDRED-37-YEAR OLD COPY OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.
BRUNK AUCTIONS IS SELLING A ONE-OF-A-KIND COPY OF THE CONSTITUTION, ORIGINALLY PRINTED IN 17-87.
THIS PARTICULAR DOCUMENT IS BELIEVED TO BE THE ONLY PRIVATELY-OWNED COPY OF ITS KIND.
BIDDING HAS ALREADY STARTED, WITH A MINIMUM BID OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS ON THE TABLE, AND THERE’S NO SET RESERVE PRICE.
THIS COPY WAS PRINTED AFTER THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION FINISHED DRAFTING THE FRAMEWORK OF THE NATION’S GOVERNMENT.
IT WAS THEN SENT TO CONGRESS UNDER THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION, REQUESTING THAT THE STATES RATIFY IT.
ONLY ONE-HUNDRED OF THESE COPIES WERE PRINTED BY CHARLES THOMSON, THE SECRETARY OF CONGRESS AT THE TIME, AND JUST EIGHT ARE KNOWN TO STILL EXIST.
THE OTHER SEVEN COPIES? THEY’RE ALL IN PUBLIC COLLECTIONS.
NOW, THE STORY BEHIND THIS PARTICULAR DOCUMENT IS A BIT OF A MYSTERY.
WE KNOW THOMSON SIGNED TWO COPIES FOR EACH OF THE ORIGINAL 13 STATES, BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS COPY OVER THE CENTURIES REMAINS UNCLEAR.
IT RESURFACED ONLY TWO YEARS AGO, IN EDENTON, NORTH CAROLINA, WHILE A PROPERTY ONCE OWNED BY SAMUEL JOHNSON–THE STATE’S GOVERNOR IN THE LATE 1780S—WAS BEING CLEARED OUT.
THE CONSTITUTION WAS FOUND IN AN OLD METAL FILING CABINET IN A NEGLECTED ROOM FILLED WITH DUSTY FURNITURE.
ALONGSIDE IT WAS A LETTER FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON HIMSELF, URGING THE STATES TO RATIFY THE DOCUMENT, NOTING THAT COMPROMISES WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR THE NATION’S FUTURE.
AS FOR ITS VALUE?
THERE’S LITTLE TO COMPARE TO IT, SINCE THE LAST TIME A SIMILAR COPY SOLD WAS IN 1891 FOR JUST FOUR-HUNDRED-DOLLARS. BUT IN 2021, SOTHEBY’S AUCTIONED OFF A DIFFERENT COPY OF THE CONSTITUTION–PRINTED FOR THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS–AND IT FETCHED A STAGGERING 43-POINT-TWO-MILLION-DOLLARS.
OTHER HISTORIC ITEMS UP FOR AUCTION INCLUDE A FIRST DRAFT OF THE 1776 ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION AND A JOURNAL FROM NORTH CAROLINA’S 1788 CONVENTION.
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I’M KARAH RUCKER
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
Rare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on The IndependentRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on abc NewsRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on The Washington PostRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on Star TribuneRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on abc30 NewsRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on Times UnionRare Copy of the US Constitution up for Auction Is Expected to Sell for Millions
Click to see story on U.S. NewsRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on The Seattle TimesRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions – The Boston Globe
Click to see story on Boston GlobeRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on KIFIRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on Washington Top NewsRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on abc 7 LARare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on abc 7 NYRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on Wral NewsRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on KOB 4Rare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on KESQRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on NewsdayRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on KMIZRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions – KION546
Click to see story on KIONRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on KYMARare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on Winnipeg SunRare copy of Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on Republican-AmericanRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on WLOSRight
Untracked Bias
Rare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on My Mother LodeRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on RecentlyHeard: Breaking News, Latest News, Coronavirus NewsRare Copy of US Constitution up for Auction Is Expected to Sell for Millions
Click to see story on The Constitution StudyRare copy of the US Constitution up for auction is expected to sell for millions
Click to see story on theafrica.co.zaRare Copy Of The US Constitution Up For Auction Is Expected To Sell For Millions
Click to see story on nybreaking.comVOTE WITH THE UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS.™
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