US Founding Documents: Declaration of Independence and Constitution Collectibles

Collecting US Founding Documents: The Declaration of Independence

People collect all kinds of things. Some chase stamps, others hunt coins. But when it comes to American history, nothing tops the founding documents. These are the real deal. They shaped a nation. They sparked revolutions. They changed the world. If you’re building a serious historical collection, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States are at the top of the list.

These documents aren’t just old paper. They carry real meaning. For some, they stand for freedom and democracy. For others, they reflect conflict and control. Either way, they matter. And that’s why collectors go after them. The history is rich, and in some cases, the originals are nearly priceless.

So what exactly are these founding documents, and how do you go about collecting them?

What Counts as a US Founding Document?

When people talk about America’s founding documents, they usually mean three key texts. The Declaration of Independence. The Constitution. The Bill of Rights. Some might also include the Articles of Confederation, but those three are the core.

Out of all of them, the Declaration of Independence came first.

The Declaration of Independence: What It Is and Why It Matters

The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776. Fifty-six men signed it in Philadelphia, at what is now Independence Hall. That single act marked the official break from British rule. But it wasn’t just a declaration of war. It also explained why the colonies wanted to break free.

By the time the Declaration was signed, the fighting had already started. The war began in April 1775. So this document didn’t start the war. It gave it a clear purpose. It spelled out the reasons. It also laid out big ideas about what kind of country the colonies wanted to build.

The most famous line in the Declaration says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” That sentence has repeated through American history ever since. It goes on to say that everyone has rights that no one can take away. Life. Liberty. The pursuit of happiness. Those words still mean something to people today.

Thomas Jefferson wrote most of the document. He didn’t work alone. A committee helped shape it. That group included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston. Congress made some edits before approving the final version. Once they signed off, copies were printed and spread as widely as possible.

That’s important if you’re a collector. Because the document had to reach people fast, a lot of copies were made in 1776. Some were printed by hand. Some were engraved. Some were published in newspapers. These early versions show up in different formats, and each type tells a part of the story. That gives collectors a wide range of versions to hunt for, from very rare first printings to later editions still full of historical value.

The Constitution of the United States: Building the Government

After independence was won, the colonies had to figure out how to govern themselves. That’s where the Constitution comes in. Written in 1787 and ratified in 1788, the US Constitution created the structure of the federal government. It outlines how power is divided. It explains the roles of Congress, the President, and the courts. It also sets rules for how laws are made and how rights are protected.

The Constitution didn’t just appear overnight. It took months of debate. Delegates from twelve states met in Philadelphia to write it. They had to find a balance between state power and federal power. Between freedom and order. What they came up with has lasted more than two centuries.

For collectors, original copies from the 1787 Constitutional Convention or early printings from that time are highly prized. There were also official editions printed by states during ratification, which are historic in their own right. These early printings are rare and valuable, but even later versions can be meaningful additions to a focused collection.

Early Drafts of the Declaration of Independence

Before the Declaration of Independence was finalized, there were several drafts. These early versions help us understand how the document came together. Thomas Jefferson handled most of the writing. He was chosen by the drafting committee to put the first words on paper.

At least two handwritten drafts by Jefferson survive today. One of them wasn’t even known until 1947. That late discovery shows how new pieces of history can still come to light. Jefferson also made copies for close contacts. He sent some to friends and political allies. John Adams, another key figure in the drafting, also wrote out his own copy.

Jefferson later remembered making what he called a “fair copy.” That version was neat, complete, and meant for review. It’s now lost. Historians believe Congress used that clean version during their edits. It likely served as the first formal draft reviewed and revised by the full Continental Congress.

That fair copy probably ended up with printer John Dunlap. He was chosen to produce printed versions of the Declaration for wide distribution. His job was urgent. Congress had just voted for independence. They needed to get the message out to the public fast.

The Dunlap Broadsides: First Printed Declarations

The printed sheets produced by John Dunlap are called the Dunlap Broadsides. Each one carried the title: “A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress assembled.” These were meant to be read, posted, and passed around. They were printed in broadside format, meaning one sheet printed on one side only. That was the fastest way to spread the word.

About 200 Dunlap broadsides were likely printed the night of July 4 or early July 5, 1776. Congress needed them to inform the 13 colonies and gain support. Copies were sent to each colony’s leaders. The goal was approval and unity. From there, newspapers and local printers used them to create even more reprints. That’s how the news of independence spread across the new country.

No one knows exactly how many Dunlap broadsides have survived. In 1949, only 14 were known to exist. By 1975, that number had grown to 21. Today, 26 are confirmed. Most are held in institutional archives, including libraries, museums, and universities. A few remain in private hands, which means they can be bought and sold.

One of the privately held copies, known as the “roving copy,” went to auction in 1991. It sold for over $8 million. That price shows just how valuable these original prints have become. Not just in money, but in historical weight. Owning one means holding a first glimpse of a new nation’s birth.

The Goddard Broadside: First to Name the Signers

In January 1777, another important edition was printed. This time, it included the names of the signers. Almost all of them. The only name missing was Thomas McKean, possibly due to timing or politics. This printing gave the public the first full look at who had signed the Declaration.

The woman behind this edition was Mary Katherine Goddard. She was a printer and publisher based in Baltimore. She printed this version in broadside style, just like Dunlap had done. But hers carried extra weight because it named names. It made the signers public figures, known by everyone.

As of 1949, there were nine known Goddard Broadsides. All were in library collections. They don’t show up for sale, and they rarely move between institutions. Like the Dunlaps, they’re considered national treasures.

How These Documents Were Copied and Spread

As the original Dunlap broadsides reached the states, they became the base for even more printings. Local printers copied them. Newspapers reprinted the full text. These versions helped spread the message beyond official channels. Everyone needed to see it. Farmers. Shopkeepers. Soldiers. The Declaration had to reach the people.

This flood of copies is why the Declaration became such a powerful symbol. The printing press helped fuel the revolution. Without it, the message would have stayed in Congress. But because of these broadsides and reprints, it reached towns and homes across the colonies.

Collectors today look for all types of these early prints. From Dunlap and Goddard originals to regional reprints, each version tells a story. Some are rarer than others, but they all carry pieces of the moment when the colonies claimed independence. And for anyone building a historical collection, owning even a small part of that print history is a big deal.

Rare Editions of the Declaration of Independence: How Copies Keep Turning Up

In 1949, researchers took stock of the early versions of the Declaration of Independence that had been printed and distributed in the first months of American independence. They documented 71 known copies spread across 17 different early editions. These were the fast, urgent printings made in 1776 to get the news of independence out to the colonies and beyond. The government wanted people to know exactly what had been declared, so the document was reprinted by local printers across different states.

Since that survey, more copies have been discovered. Some have come out of private collections. Others have surfaced in historical archives or libraries that hadn’t cataloged them properly. This tells us one thing clearly: copies are still out there. The full record is incomplete. And for collectors, that means there’s still a chance of uncovering an original document that’s been lost or forgotten for decades, maybe even centuries.

The Engrossed Copy of the Declaration: The Parchment Version That Traveled With a Nation at War

Once Congress passed the Declaration on July 4, 1776, they agreed on a final step. They ordered that the document be formally engrossed on parchment. In plain terms, that meant it should be handwritten in full, in a clean, official style, ready for the delegates to sign.

This final copy was titled, The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America. The text was carefully written out by a professional clerk named Timothy Matlack. He was known for his clear and formal handwriting, and he took on the task of copying the full text onto animal-skin parchment.

This is the copy most people think of when they imagine the Declaration of Independence. It’s the one the delegates signed. But it didn’t sit safely in one place. It had to move constantly. During the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress wasn’t based in one permanent building. It was on the move, trying to stay ahead of the British Army. So this original engrossed copy traveled with them, often under poor conditions.

Eventually, in 1789, the document was placed in the office of the Secretary of State. From that point, it had a more stable home. But it wasn’t safe forever. When British troops attacked Washington during the War of 1812, the government took the document and hid it. Later, during World War II, the government stored it in Fort Knox to protect it from possible attack.

Even before all this, the parchment was showing signs of damage. As early as 1820, people noticed it was fading. The ink was wearing thin. To preserve the content and make it more widely available, Congress commissioned a new printed version.

The William J. Stone Copy: The Version Most People Recognize Today

In 1820, William J. Stone was hired to make a precise copy of the original engrossed Declaration. But he didn’t just print the text. He engraved it. Using a copperplate engraving technique, Stone created a highly detailed, exact replica that imitated the look of the original handwriting and layout.

He finished the job in 1823, and the result was a run of 200 official copies. These were distributed mostly to government offices, libraries, and select individuals. Today, just 48 of those copies are known to survive. Each one is rare. Each one is valuable. And they’re all key pieces of the document’s long journey.

The Stone version is the one most people have seen, whether they realize it or not. If you see the Declaration printed on a poster, jigsaw puzzle, or even a coffee mug, chances are it’s based on this engraved copy. It became the visual reference for the Declaration in the American public imagination.

Preservation and Rediscovery: Where the Declaration Lives Now

The original engrossed copy written by Matlack is now stored in the National Archives in Washington, DC. It’s been given full protection, using the latest conservation and preservation tools. It’s displayed under special glass, in a climate-controlled environment, with lighting designed to limit further damage. It no longer travels, and it’s rarely moved at all.

But that’s not the only full-handwritten copy to surface...

In 2017, a second parchment version of the Declaration was found in an unexpected place: the West Sussex Records Office in Chichester, England. It appears to be a handwritten duplicate of the original signed version created by Congress. Historians believe it was made in the late 1700s, possibly for use in Britain or by someone close to the American government at the time. Its discovery raised fresh questions about how many more unknown copies could still be out there.

The Value of the Declaration of Independence in Today’s Market

Many copies of the Declaration belong to museums, state archives, universities, or government institutions. They’re protected, studied, and displayed, but they’re not going anywhere. They’ll never be sold.

Still, not all copies are accounted for. A few sit in private hands. Some show up at auctions. Others are still tucked away in family collections, waiting to be identified. And each time one does appear, it becomes big news. Because even after all these years, new discoveries are still possible.

If you manage to find one of the early printings or even a Stone copy, you’re holding something rare and highly valuable. These documents don’t just sell well. They carry weight. They represent the roots of the country. That kind of item doesn’t come around often.

Collectors who focus on American founding documents keep an eye on auctions, estate sales, and library deaccessions for a reason. Copies of the Declaration of Independence still surface. When they do, they’re historic, they’re rare, and they’re worth a fortune.

Record-Breaking Sales of the Declaration of Independence: What the Market Says Today

In the world of rare American documents, few items command the kind of attention the Declaration of Independence does. And recent sales prove it.

In 2021, a Stone engraving sold at auction for $4.42 million. That’s one of the 200 official facsimile copies engraved by William J. Stone in the 1820s. What made this sale stand out wasn’t just the price. The estimate before the auction was $800,000. The final result blew past that and set a new record for any Stone printing. Before that, the previous high mark was set in 2019 in New York. That one didn’t even come close to what the 2021 sale achieved.

These numbers show just how much demand there is for rare, early copies of the Declaration. The right piece, in the right condition, can bring in a figure that’s hard to predict.

It’s not just Stone copies that pull strong prices either. In early 2025, another version made headlines. This time, it was one of the first newspaper printings of the Declaration from July 1776. It sold for $3.36 million at auction. These newspaper versions are some of the earliest printed appearances of the document. They were rushed to print in the days following July 4, often within hours or days of Congress adopting the Declaration. Their age, rarity, and raw historical weight make them incredibly valuable.

 

The United States Constitution: Foundation of American Law and Government

After the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States became the next major step in shaping the new country. It’s not just a founding document. It’s the rulebook that still guides how the government works today, even after more than two centuries. Ratified over 235 years ago, the Constitution remains the backbone of American law and power. It’s the legal structure that outlines everything from who gets to make decisions to how those decisions are enforced.

For collectors, original or early printings of the Constitution are among the most sought-after historical documents. If you find a version from the 18th century, especially from the time of ratification or the first few years of implementation, it can be worth a fortune. These are more than old pages. They are physical pieces of political history.

Writing a Constitution While Fighting a War

Building a country from scratch is hard enough. Doing it while in the middle of a war with the world’s top military power makes it even harder. That’s exactly what the United States faced in the late 1700s. The American Revolution was still fresh in everyone’s mind. The war had pushed the colonies to unite, but once independence was declared, nobody really knew how to run things as a whole.

That pressure shaped the creation of the Constitution. The founding leaders knew they needed more than just ideals. They needed a working system.

The Constitutional Convention: Where the Framework Took Shape

It all started with a meeting in Philadelphia. The Constitutional Convention first gathered on May 25, 1787, when enough state delegates arrived to meet and begin formal discussions. This meeting became the turning point for the future of the American government. Over the next few months, these delegates debated, revised, and drafted what would become the United States Constitution.

By September 17, 1787, they had a final draft. But it wasn’t law yet. That required ratification. The document had to be sent to each state, one by one, to get their approval. It wasn’t a quick or easy process. The last of the original 13 states, Rhode Island, ratified it on May 29, 1790. Once that happened, the Constitution officially became the governing document of all the founding states.

A Rocky Start: What Led to the Convention

The road to the Constitution wasn’t smooth. In fact, it was a mess. After the Revolution, each state acted like its own small country. There were disagreements over trade, boundaries, and water rights. States taxed goods coming from other states. There was no central authority to settle arguments or set national rules. The young nation felt disorganized and fragile.

The only formal system they had was the Articles of Confederation, which had been written in 1777. The Articles were America’s first constitution. They gave the states a loose connection, but very little federal power. Congress couldn’t raise taxes or enforce laws. Every decision had to be approved by all the states, which made any kind of national action slow and ineffective.

It became clear that the Articles weren’t working. The country needed a stronger structure. Something that could unify the states but still respect their individual rights.

John Dickinson and the First Constitution

The Articles of Confederation were written by committee, like most founding texts. But the lead voice behind them was John Dickinson, a delegate from Delaware. Dickinson believed in a careful balance between unity and independence. He didn’t want a powerful central government, but he also saw the need for coordination.

The Articles did serve a purpose. They held the states together through the end of the war. But they were always seen as a temporary fix. The goal was to create something stronger and more lasting. That goal led directly to the drafting of the Constitution.

The Articles of Confederation: A Weak Start to a New Nation

When the United States first came together, it did so as a group of individual states agreeing to cooperate. From the beginning, this was a federal setup. The national government only had the powers that the states agreed to give it. Everything else stayed in the hands of the individual states. That idea was built into the first governing document of the new country: the Articles of Confederation.

The phrase "United States of America" appears in the Articles for the first time. But the country wasn’t united in the way we think of it today. The Articles took effect on March 1, 1781, after being approved by all thirteen states. It created what the document called a "league of friendship." Each state kept its independence. They agreed to support one another for mutual defense and general welfare, but they didn’t give much real authority to the national government.

Under the Articles, Congress could declare war, sign treaties, and manage foreign affairs. But it couldn’t raise taxes. It couldn’t enforce laws. It had no power to regulate trade. Every state could make its own rules. And that led to trouble.

Why the Articles Failed: Too Little Power at the Center

It didn’t take long for the cracks to show. By the mid-1780s, it was clear the federal government was too weak. States argued with each other. They issued their own money, taxed each other’s goods, and ignored Congress. The central government couldn’t fix anything because it didn’t have the tools.

Leaders like George Washington watched the country flounder. He had led the army that won independence, but now he saw the new nation struggling to stay together. Trade was messy. Debts from the war weren’t getting paid. There was no national currency that worked across states. Foreign powers didn’t take the US seriously. Washington and others believed that without a stronger federal system, the country would fall apart.

That’s when the push began to scrap the Articles and build something stronger. What started as a plan to revise the Articles turned into a full rewrite.

The Constitutional Convention: A New Beginning in 1787

In May 1787, delegates from the states met in Philadelphia to fix the government. This gathering became known as the Constitutional Convention. The idea was to make changes to the Articles of Confederation. But once the debates started, it became clear that minor edits wouldn’t cut it. The entire system needed an overhaul.

The convention was delayed at first. Some state delegations showed up late. Because of that, the real work didn’t begin until May 25. When it did, the group agreed to keep everything they discussed secret. That secrecy let them argue openly and make bold proposals without public pressure. George Washington was chosen to lead the convention as president. William Jackson, a former army officer, served as secretary and kept official records.

The debates were intense. The delegates came from very different places, with very different goals. Large states wanted more representation. Small states wanted to keep their power. Slaveholding states had concerns that free states didn’t. The issues ran deep. To work through them, the delegates formed smaller committees focused on specific problems. Most of those committees ended up crafting compromises. Those deals, like the Great Compromise and the Three-Fifths Compromise, shaped how the Constitution works today.

The Drafting Process: From Detail to Final Version

On August 6, the Committee of Detail brought forward a draft version of the Constitution. It included 23 articles and a preamble. That draft was based on everything the convention had debated up to that point. But it wasn’t the final word. More arguments followed, more changes were made, and the document was eventually trimmed and simplified.

By the end, the Constitution had seven articles. It still had a preamble at the front and a closing statement at the end. It laid out a clear structure for government, defining the powers of Congress, the President, and the courts. It also set rules for amendments, relations between states, and the role of federal law.

To create a clean, official version, a clerk named Jacob Shallus wrote out the entire text by hand. This copy is known as the “engrossed” version. It’s the one that was signed.

On September 15, after months of discussion and compromise, the delegates voted to approve the final draft. Two days later, on September 17, 39 of the delegates signed it. Not everyone agreed with it, though. More than 50 men had taken part in the convention, but some refused to sign. They had concerns about the lack of guaranteed individual rights, among other things.

Publishing the Constitution: The Next Step Toward Law

The very next day, September 18, the newly signed Constitution was printed for the public. The first copies were published by the Pennsylvania Packet, one of the leading newspapers of the time. People could now read it for themselves and debate what it meant.

The process wasn’t over. The Constitution had to be ratified by the states before it could take effect. On September 28, Congress agreed to send the document to each state legislature. Each state would hold its own vote. This would decide if they accepted the new plan for government.

Pennsylvania held the first ratifying convention on November 20. But Delaware became the first to officially approve the Constitution, ratifying it on December 7, 1787. More states followed over the next few months.

By June 21, 1788, nine of the thirteen states had ratified the Constitution. That was enough to put it into effect. The new government was officially born.

Suggested Changes: The Road to the Bill of Rights

While the ratification process was going on, people in many states proposed changes. These were called “recommended amendments” or “alterations.” Most of the concerns focused on individual rights and limits on government power. Many people felt the Constitution didn’t go far enough in protecting personal freedoms.

These suggestions eventually led to the Bill of Rights. But even before that, the Constitution was already changing the shape of the United States. It replaced a loose alliance with a strong federal government. It gave the country a structure that could grow and survive.

The First US Presidential Election and the Birth of American Government

The first presidential election in United States history ran from December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789. It didn’t look anything like modern elections. There were no campaign trails, no televised debates, and no political parties as we know them today. But it laid the foundation for how the United States would choose its leaders.

George Washington was elected unanimously. He didn’t campaign. He didn’t have to. People saw him as the man who led the colonies through the Revolution. He was trusted, respected, and widely seen as essential to keeping the country stable. John Adams, who had played a key role in the Revolution and helped draft the Declaration of Independence, was chosen as vice president. Together, they became the first executive leaders of the new nation.

Once in office, the early government had a long to-do list. At the top of that list: addressing calls for a stronger guarantee of individual rights. Many Americans had supported the Constitution on the condition that it would soon be amended to include specific protections for the people.

Congress, meeting in New York at the time, got to work. They reviewed a list of suggested changes to the new Constitution. Twelve proposed amendments went through the system. Ten of those were eventually approved by the states. On December 15, 1791, these ten amendments became the Bill of Rights.

The Bill of Rights: A Foundation of American Law and Liberty

The Bill of Rights wasn’t just an afterthought. It was a direct answer to fears that the new federal government would have too much power. People wanted firm protections for free speech, religious liberty, the right to bear arms, protection from unreasonable searches, and fair trials. The ten amendments that made it through the ratification process became the first real legal shield for individual freedoms in the new republic.

The process wasn’t fast. The Constitution had already gone into effect in 1789, but it took two more years for the Bill of Rights to become law. These amendments were originally the third through twelfth on the list that Congress sent out. The first two weren’t ratified at the time, although one of them, about congressional pay, would eventually be added as the 27th Amendment over two centuries later.

For collectors, the Bill of Rights holds deep value. Early printings, especially those distributed to the states during ratification, are rare and powerful pieces of American legal history. They represent the moment when the promises of liberty became written law.

The Constitution of the United States: Structure, Scope, and Meaning

The Constitution itself is a short document, but it’s packed with detail. It is divided into four main sections, starting with the preamble.

The preamble is more than just an opening line. It sets the tone and explains the goals of the government the document creates. It reads:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

It’s a single sentence, but it covers the whole purpose of the document. Unity, peace, safety, freedom, justice - those were the priorities.

After the preamble come seven articles. These articles define how the government works. Article I sets up Congress, which includes the House of Representatives and the Senate. Article II lays out the powers of the President and the Vice President. Article III establishes the Supreme Court and gives Congress the power to create lower courts. Articles IV through VII handle relationships between the states, the amendment process, the status of federal laws, and the rules for ratifying the Constitution itself.

This structure was new at the time. It gave power to three branches of government and made sure each branch could check the others. That system is still in place today.

Amendments to the Constitution: Changing the Law Over Time

The Constitution was designed to be updated. That’s why Article V includes a process for amendments. Over time, 27 amendments have been added. Each one reflects a moment in American history when the law needed to change to match the times.

The Bill of Rights is the most famous group of amendments. It includes protections like freedom of religion, freedom of the press, the right to assemble, the right to bear arms, and the right to a fair trial. These ideas are still at the heart of political debates today. They’re also highly sought-after by collectors, especially in their earliest forms.

Some amendments changed the way government works. For example, the 17th Amendment established direct election of Senators. Others expanded rights. The 13th Amendment, passed in 1865, ended slavery. The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, gave women the right to vote. The 26th Amendment, passed in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18.

Even though the last ratified amendment was in 1992, efforts to change the Constitution haven’t stopped. Proposals come up every year. Most don’t make it through. But the fact that amendments can still happen shows that the Constitution is meant to grow with the country.

 

Collecting Printed Versions of the United States Constitution

If you're into collecting rare historic documents, printed copies of the United States Constitution offer a unique path. You’ll find all kinds of reproductions for sale today, from cheap modern reprints to rare early editions. Some of these later copies are mass-produced, while others hold real historical value. But to understand what you’re getting into, you have to know how the original Constitution was printed and shared at the time it was written.

Printing Changed Everything

Back in the late 1700s, printing was becoming more accessible. It wasn't just for books and newspapers anymore. Governments used it to spread laws, announcements, and official documents. The Constitution came out of months of debate, compromise, and argument. It was a live process, not a fixed idea. But once it was printed, it became real. It turned ideas into something people could see, hold, read, and argue about. That made it powerful.

The ability to print and circulate important texts like the Constitution played a major role in revolutions during the 18th and 19th centuries. People could read for themselves what their leaders were doing. Or, if they couldn’t read, they could hear the text read aloud at town meetings, in churches, or on street corners. That level of access helped shape public opinion and build support, or spark resistance. The Constitution didn’t sit in a vault. It moved around. It got into people’s hands.

Who Printed the First Constitution?

The first official printer of the Constitution was Dunlap & Claypoole. Their names may sound familiar because they also printed the Declaration of Independence eleven years earlier. These two Philadelphia printers, John Dunlap and David Claypoole, were responsible for many key political documents during this period. Since 1778, they had served as the official printers for the Continental Congress.

That position gave them the job of handling all major publications that came out of Congress, including the Constitution. And they didn’t just print one version. They printed several.

How Many Copies Were Printed in 1787?

Altogether, the Constitutional Convention commissioned the printing of 1,320 copies of the Constitution in various forms. Of those, 820 were early drafts used during the convention. Delegates would read them, revise them, and argue over the content.

The other 500 were final approved copies intended for wider distribution. These were printed to share with state ratifying conventions, lawmakers, and the public. The goal was to get the Constitution into enough hands that it could be read, debated, and either accepted or rejected by each state.

Key Print Dates and Versions

The very first printing of the Constitution happened on August 4, 1787. At that point, the document was still in draft form. Dunlap printed a broadside version, which means it was printed on one side only, like a poster. These broadsides were meant for fast sharing. They were often pinned to walls, nailed to posts, or read out loud in public.

Then, on September 12, another draft was printed; this time in folio form. A folio is a larger, more formal style of printing. It’s folded, not just single-sided. That version marked progress but wasn’t yet final.

The final approved version came shortly after. On September 15, the Convention instructed Dunlap & Claypoole to print 500 copies of the Constitution. These were done as broadsides spread across six pages using Caslon typeface, which was the standard type of the time. They carried an official publication date of September 17, 1787. This was the version sent out for ratification and wider public review.

Soon after, another 200 copies were ordered and printed. These may have been used to meet demand from the states or to reach additional officials and institutions.

Survival and Errors

None of the original 500 final broadsides from the September 17 printing are known to survive. They’ve either been lost over time, destroyed, or locked away in collections not yet identified. That rarity makes the original printing one of the most sought-after pieces in American historical collecting, even though it may never be available for sale.

Interestingly, that first printing had a known error. In Article Five, a date that should’ve been written numerically was instead spelled out in full. Mistakes like this weren’t uncommon in early printing. Typesetters worked by hand, arranging each letter and line individually. Even a small misstep could lead to a typo or odd phrasing that made its way into official copies. But those flaws are exactly what makes these printings so interesting to collectors. They show the human side of history.

What This Means for Collectors Today

If you’re searching for copies of the Constitution to collect, understanding these early print runs is key. While the originals from 1787 are virtually impossible to find, later printings from the 18th and 19th centuries can still hold serious historical weight. Look for verified editions from early state conventions, known printers of the period, or copies tied to public debates during the ratification process.

Early Printed Versions of the Declaration: Flaws, Variants, and Forgotten Details

The earliest copies of the Declaration of Independence weren’t perfect. Right from the start, errors crept in. One specific change from the official handwritten version, known as the engrossed copy, was missed in the very first printings. That means even the earliest known printed copies didn’t match the final approved version exactly.

Those first printed editions also came out before the full list of signers was complete. When John Dunlap ran his press in Philadelphia on the night of July 4, 1776, no one yet knew for sure who would end up signing the final parchment version. So the names of the signers weren’t included on these earliest prints. Still, Dunlap’s printings were fast and necessary. They marked the start of the spread of independence across the colonies.

Once Dunlap had printed the initial batch, the document began moving through the states. Printers all over the country took over. They reprinted what they were sent. But standards were inconsistent. Punctuation, spelling, and even phrasing often changed from one version to another. Some printers added their own touches without realizing how important consistency might be. Others likely worked under pressure and made simple mistakes.

John McLean’s Rare New York Prints of the Constitution

One key printer during this time was John McLean, working out of New York. He was tasked with producing copies of the Constitution to send out for state ratification after the Constitutional Convention wrapped up in 1787. He printed 100 copies. Only eight are known to survive today. These rare prints were technically produced for Dunlap and Claypoole, another Philadelphia-based press team, so collectors often group them together under that name.

One of McLean’s surviving copies was discovered in a filing cabinet tied to the estate of Samuel Johnston, a Revolutionary-era politician from North Carolina. It sat untouched for decades before resurfacing and later selling for $9 million. This copy is now in private hands, one of only a few still not housed in public institutions.

Newspapers and the Role of the Press in the Founding Era

Print media didn’t just help spread these founding documents. It was central to their survival. The Pennsylvania Packet and the General Advertiser was the first successful daily newspaper in the United States. Newspapers like it played a critical role in delivering the news of independence, the formation of a new government, and the values behind both. They were the most effective way to reach the public at scale.

This explosion of reprints gave rise to many variations. Some had printing errors. Others had changes made intentionally or by accident. But they all helped get the word out fast, during a time when speed often mattered more than perfect accuracy.

Where the Dunlap Prints Are Now

The most valuable copies of the Declaration are the original Dunlap broadsides. Only 14 are known today, and each one holds enormous historical and collector value. Some are in public collections. A few are still privately owned. One of them was printed by John McLean for Dunlap, which adds to its appeal.

Here’s where the 14 known Dunlap prints are located:

One is held by the American Philosophical Society Library in Philadelphia. This copy once belonged to Benjamin Franklin himself.

Another is in the private collection of S. Howard Goldman, who paid $43.2 million for it in 2021. It’s currently on loan to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas. That museum is backed by the Walton family, who own Walmart.

The Delaware Hall of Records in Dover has one.

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia owns one.

Another is housed at the Independence National Historical Park, also in Philadelphia. That’s the copy believed to have belonged to George Washington.

The Library of Congress has two.

The New Jersey State Library Archives and History Bureau in Trenton has one.

The New-York Historical Society holds another Franklin copy.

A copy resides in the Public Record Office in London.

The Huntington Library in San Marino, California owns one.

Princeton University Library also has a copy.

One is known as the “Adrian Van Sinderen” copy. It was set to be auctioned in 2022, but just before the sale, Sotheby’s pulled it to give institutions time to raise funds for a possible acquisition.

And then there’s the Samuel Johnston copy, one of McLean’s prints for Dunlap, which was sold in 2024 to an anonymous private buyer.

So out of 14 Dunlap broadsides, only three are currently in private hands. The rest belong to libraries, museums, archives, and historical societies.

How Many Constitution Copies Exist Today?

While early Declaration prints are scarce, the Constitution is a bit different. Far more copies of the original Constitution exist. Hundreds were printed for distribution to state governments and the public during ratification. Many of those still survive. If someone finds one today, they can set their own price. Value depends on the version, the condition, and the history behind the specific copy.

Besides those official versions, newspapers played a big role here, too. By October 6, just 20 days after the Federal Convention ended, at least 55 of the roughly 80 newspapers in circulation had already printed the full text of the Constitution. That was fast work. These early newspaper prints helped spread the new framework for government to people across the country. Some of these issues still turn up in archives and private collections.

Like the Declaration, newspaper versions of the Constitution often contain small errors or stylistic changes. These quirks are part of what makes each one unique. For collectors, they add interest, and in some cases, value.

The Standard Edition: William Hickey’s Cleaned-Up Constitution

By the 1800s, people began noticing that many copies of the Constitution weren’t consistent. William Hickey, who worked for the US Senate, got tired of seeing those variations. So in 1847, he pulled together what became known as the Standard Edition.

Hickey used original documents to create a version that was clean, accurate, and easier to read. He fixed spelling and punctuation errors. He added notes and context. His goal was to make a single, correct version that people could rely on. That edition became the basis for nearly all modern reprints of the Constitution.

Most of the printed versions you see today, whether in textbooks, government handouts, or souvenir shops, are based on Hickey’s 1847 version. It smoothed out the inconsistencies from earlier editions and set the standard for how the Constitution is presented now.

 

Owning a Piece of US History

If you’re serious about collecting historic US documents, you’re not just chasing old paper. You’re holding a piece of what built the country. Copies of the Declaration or Constitution from the 1700s don’t come cheap, and they’re hard to find. But they do show up at auctions and in private collections.

Even if you don’t land an original from the 18th century, there are other options. Later editions, commemorative printings, or documents signed by key figures involved in the founding are still worth collecting. They let you connect with the story in a real, personal way.

When it comes to American history collectibles, nothing beats the impact and legacy of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. These documents launched a nation. They’ve shaped politics, culture, and rights for generations. And for collectors, they offer a deep and powerful link to the country’s beginnings.