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Rare US Constitution copy sells for $9 million at North Carolina auction

By Austin Williams
FOX TV Digital Team
North Carolina
Published October 17, 2024 4:32 PM MST
Published October 17, 2024 4:32 PM MST
article

This is the Preamble to the US Constitution, It starts with the phrase We The People and shows only some of the writing from the upper left hand corner of the document of the Constitution, It is written on parchment paper that is now faded, showing i

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The Brief:

    • A rare copy of the US Constitution was sold for $9 million at a North Carolina auction.
    • The document was printed 237 years ago and sent to states for ratification.
    • Only eight copies of this type are known to exist, with seven being publicly owned.

LOS ANGELES - A rare copy of the U.S. Constitution, printed 237 years ago and sent to the states for ratification, was sold for $9 million at an auction in North Carolina. 

This historic document, believed to be the only privately-owned copy of its type, fetched the hefty sum during an auction by Brunk Auctions on Thursday evening. The buyer's identity remains undisclosed.

How did the auction unfold? 

Bidding for the Constitution copy took just over seven minutes, with bids coming in at $50,000 increments. The final bid of $9 million came over the phone, after a brief pause at $8.5 million. Andrew Brunk, the auctioneer and owner of the document, expressed his gratitude, saying, "It's a privilege to have it here. It's been quite a ride."

The auction was initially scheduled for Sept. 28 but was delayed due to the damage caused by Hurricane Helene in Asheville and western North Carolina.

What makes this copy so special? 

The Constitution copy sold at the auction was printed in 1787 after the Constitutional Convention drafted the framework of the nation's government. It was one of about 100 copies printed by Charles Thomson, the secretary of Congress under the Articles of Confederation. Only eight copies are known to exist today, with seven owned by public institutions.

The document includes a letter from George Washington urging states to ratify the Constitution, acknowledging the compromises required for the nation's future health.

Where was the document found? 

The document's whereabouts for much of its 237-year history remain a mystery. However, it resurfaced in 2022 when workers clearing a property in Edenton, North Carolina, discovered it in an old metal filing cabinet. The house, once owned by Samuel Johnston, a former North Carolina governor, was being restored at the time.

In addition to the Constitution copy, a first draft of the Articles of Confederation sold for $1 million, and a 1788 Journal of the North Carolina Constitutional Convention went for $85,000.

The Source:
Information for this article was sourced from an Associated Press report on the rare U.S. Constitution auction, as well as statements from Brunk Auctions. Additional details on past Constitution sales were referenced from Sotheby's auction records.
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