News - Rare copy of US Constitution, printed in late 18th century, to go under the hammer

A rare copy of the US Constitution, which was printed in late 18th century, will be put up for auction in the United States, reports AP. And the people will get a chance to bid for this copy of the US Constitution—the only of its type thought to be in private hands—at a sale by Brunk Auctions on September 28 in Asheville, North Carolina. The minimum bid for the auction of $1 million has already been made. This copy was printed after the Constitutional Convention finished drafting the proposed framework of the nation’s government in 1787 and sent it to the Congress of the ineffective first American government under the Articles of Confederation, requesting they send it to the states to be ratified by the people. It’s one of about 100 copies printed by the secretary of that Congress, Charles Thomson. Just eight are known to still exist and the other seven are publicly owned. Thomson likely signed two copies for each of the original 13 states, essentially certifying them.  The signed copy, which will go on sale later this month, was meant to be distributed to the Founding Fathers as delegates to the Constitutional Convention. The signed copy being sold later this month was one meant to be sent to leaders in every state so people all around the country could review and decide if that’s how they wanted to be governed, connecting the writers of the Constitution to the people in the states who would provide its power and legitimacy. The auction listing doesn’t identify the seller, saying its part of a collection that is in private hands. Other items up for auction in Asheville including a 1776 first draft of the Articles of Confederation and a 1788 Journal of the Convention of North Carolina at Hillsborough where representatives spent two weeks debating if ratifying the Constitution would put too much power with the nation instead of the states.