US Constitution: Rare Copy to be Acquired by ConstitutionDAO

A rare copy of the US Constitution could be bought by ConstitutionDAO. The document is a first edition printed copy from the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. ConstitutionDAO has raised more than $3million  — or 668.705 ETH. However, this is unlikely to be enough. As such, ongoing donations are encouraged.

According to the group’s website, the idea is to put this historic document in the hands of The People, which is a symbolic move. Crucially, the original manuscript opens with three words — ‘We, The People’.  Of course, many see this as a clear sign all US governments are supposed to serve the public.

Who Will Own ConstitutionDAO’s Purchase?

ConstitutionDAO is promising the physical document will be kept somewhere with the ability to “properly house, store, and maintain the artifact.”

Donors will receive $PEOPLE governance tokens in exchange for contributions. These grant the right to vote on what happens to the document once the sale is over. Many have expressed a desire to keep the US Constitution somewhere the public can access for free. Additionally, an NFT version will be made.

It’s the first time in 33 years an original copy of the US Constitution has been put up for sale. Back in 1988, the realtor Howard S. Goldman bought the same copy. He was known for amassing a collection of rare property and land deeds. Now dead, the charity his wife runs will receive all proceeds from this new sale.

Sotheby’s will host the auction on 18th November at its New York location. However, ConstitutionDAO still has far to go to be in with a chance. Experts say the document could fetch between $15 and $20million.  Nevertheless, if successful, it will put the last original copy of the US Constitution held in private ownership back in the hands of The People. The sale will also feature a list of delegates who ratified the manuscript. A letter of submission from George Washington is included, too.

Sotheby’s has emerged as a leader of crypto and NFT art and collectibles sales this year. In October, it even opened a Sotheby’s Metaverse site for ongoing NFT sales. It has also hosted two Natively Digital auctions, showcasing cutting-edge work in the non-fungible space. So, this sale could not be in better hands, then. And we, for one, will be watching the action intently.