From Staff Reports

A rare copy of the U.S. Constitution — printed in 1787 and sent to the states to be ratified — was sold for $9 million at an auction Oct. 17 evening in Asheville, the Associated Press reported on Oct. 18.

“Brunk Auctions sold the document, the only copy of its type thought to be privately owned, at a private auction,” the AP noted. “The name of the buyer was not immediately released.”

Bidding reportedly spanned slightly more than seven minutes. Bids arrived at $50,000 intervals — mostly over the telephone. Following a pause at $8.5 million, someone bid $9 million via the phone.

“Just another second or two. Savor it a little bit... selling here at nine million (dollars),” the AP quoted auctioneer and document owner Andrew Brunk as saying.

“Brunk was thankful. The auction was originally set for Sept. 28, but was postponed after Hurricane Helene (later downgraded to a tropical storm) caused catastrophic damage throughout Asheville and Western North Carolina.

Brunk said, according to the AP, “It’s a privilege to have it here. It’s been quite a ride.” 

The AP added, “The 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 it be sent 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.”