This archive report was first published on 19 November 2021.
On November 18, 2021, a historic moment took place in New York, United States, as an extremely rare original copy of the US Constitution was sold for a staggering $43 million.
This remarkable document, one of only 11 known surviving copies, was signed on September 17, 1787, at Philadelphia's Independence Hall by America's founding fathers, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and James Madison.
According to Sotheby's, the winning bidder was not immediately identified, but the sale itself marked a world record for a historical document offered at auction, with a total price of $43.2 million including commissions.
Interestingly, a group of cryptocurrency investors had previously attempted to purchase the document, raising $40 million in the process, but ultimately failed to secure it.
As reported by Sotheby's in September, the copy in question was likely part of an edition of 500 printed on the eve of the signing, and was the only one in private hands.
