An incredibly rare ratified copy of the U.S. Constitution, one of only eight in existence, was discovered in an old filing cabinet in North Carolina. It will be auctioned off by Brunk Auctions, with a starting price of $1 million but expected to go for much more. The document was one of 100 copies signed by then-Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson and sent to state legislatures in the 13 original colonies in 1787. The copy to be auctioned is considered an official ratified edition of the Constitution due to Thomson’s signature and the ratification resolution passed by Congress. The sale is set to take place on the 237th anniversary of the resolution.
The document was found by North Carolina homeowners in 2022 as they were preparing to sell their home, which was once owned by Gov. Samuel Johnston. The property was eventually sold to the state for preservation as a historic site. Historic document expert Seth Kaller, who participated in the sale of a Constitutional Convention print in 2021, believes this ratification copy to be even rarer and more significant.
The sale presents a unique opportunity to own a cornerstone of American democracy according to Kaller, who emphasized that the market will determine the document’s value. The Constitution will be available for public viewing at Federal Hall National Memorial in New York prior to the auction. This particular copy is considered to be an important piece of history that represents the beginnings of the Constitution’s significance in shaping the United States.
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