Uncovered Ancient Version of the U.S. Constitution Resides in NC Cabinet, Set for Auction
At the beginning of the initial page, common words appear, but in regular font instead of the traditional Gothic script we're accustomed to: "US, the People..."
This particular edition of the Constitution of the United States — believed to be the sole private-owned copy — will be put up for bid at the auction organized by Brunk Auctions on September 28, in Asheville, North Carolina.
A minimum bid of $1 million has already been set for this auction. There is no minimum price that the item must reach.
This edition was published after the Constitutional Convention had completed drafting the blueprint for the nation's government in 1787 and sent it to the ineffectual initial American government under the Articles of Confederation, asking them to forward it to the states for ratification by the people.
It's one of approximately 100 copies that were produced by the secretary of that Congress, Charles Thomson. Only eight copies of these are known to still exist, and the other seven are held in public institutions.
Thomson likely signed two copies for each of the original 13 states, essentially validating them. They were then sent to special ratifying conventions, where delegates, all white and male, engaged in lengthy discussions before accepting the structure of the United States government that continues to exist today.
"This is the juncture where the government and the people interconnect. The Preamble — 'we the people' — this is where the government petitioned the people to vest them with power," said auctioneer Andrew Brunk.
The path this document took between Thomson's signature and 2022 remains a mystery.
Two years ago, a property in Edenton, North Carolina, which was once owned by Samuel Johnston, was being cleared out. He was the governor of North Carolina from 1787 to 1789 and oversaw the state convention during his final year in office, which ratified the Constitution.
The document was found inside a neglected room filled with old furniture and a dusty bookshelf, inside a two-drawer metal filing cabinet with a can of stain on top, before the old Johnston house was preserved. The document was a single sheet that could be folded like a book.
"I get calls every week from people who think they've found a Declaration of Independence or a Gettysburg Address, but it's usually just a replica. But every now and then, something significant surfaces," said Kaller, an expert in appraising, buying, and selling historic documents.
"This is a whole new degree of importance," he added.
The Constitution is printed on both sides of the sheet, along with a letter from George Washington asking for ratification. He acknowledged the need for compromise and the sacrifice of some states' rights for the nation's long-term well-being.
The man who would become the first US president wrote, "To preserve all rights of independent sovereignty for each, yet ensure the welfare and safety of all, individuals entering into society must surrender some liberty."
Brunk is unsure of what the document might fetch at auction since there isn't much to compare it to. The last time a similar Constitution copy was sold was for $400 in 1891. In 2021, Sotheby's of New York sold one of only 14 remaining copies of the Constitution that were printed for the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention delegates for $43.2 million, a record for a book or document.
However, this document was intended for the Founding Fathers as delegates to the Constitutional Convention. The signed copy being sold later this month was meant for leaders in every state, so people nationwide could review and make a decision on how they wanted to be governed, connecting the authors of the Constitution to the people in the states who would provide its power and legitimacy.
The auction listing does not reveal the seller, stating that it's part of a collection that is privately owned.
Other items going up for auction in Asheville include a 1776 preliminary draft of the Articles of Confederation and a 1788 journal of the North Carolina Convention at Hillsborough, where representatives debated for two weeks whether ratifying the Constitution would grant too much power to the nation rather than the states.
This unique edition of the Constitution, with its stylish font, showcases a luxury approach to traditional documents. The auction organizer, Brunk Auctions, anticipates high bids for this lavish item at their September event.
