Rare US Constitution Fetches $9M at Auction: Historic Find in Filing Cabinet

This is the Preamble to the US Constitution,Photo byfox9.com

A rare copy of the U.S. Constitution, printed in 1787 and sent to states for ratification, was recently sold for $9 million at a North Carolina auction. This unique document is believed to be the only privately-owned copy of its kind, with just seven others held by public institutions. Bidding for the historic item took just over seven minutes, with the final bid coming in over the phone. The auction, organized by Brunk Auctions, had been delayed due to damage from Hurricane Helene. The Constitution copy was rediscovered in 2022 when workers clearing a property in Edenton, North Carolina, found it in an old filing cabinet. The house had once belonged to Samuel Johnston, a former North Carolina governor. Along with the Constitution, other significant historical documents were sold, including a first draft of the Articles of Confederation for $1 million.