Alum-founded company sells historic copy of U.S. Constitution

A unique and historical original copy of the U.S. Constitution, printed in 1787, was sold for a record-breaking $9 million at Brunk Auctions on Oct. 18, 2024. The company that facilitated the groundbreaking sale was started by a Goshen College alumnus, Robert Brunk ’63.

The Constitution was discovered in a filing cabinet in North Carolina, where it had been sent for ratification. It is one of the earliest copies ever printed. The copy includes both the Constitution and a letter signed by George Washington urging its ratification.

The auction drew global attention from collectors and history enthusiasts worldwide, and the final sale price of $9 million far exceeded initial estimates.

Brunk Auctions specializes in fine art, antiques, jewelry and rare historical documents such as the Constitution. Founded in 1983, it was one of the first companies to provide a written program with descriptions of the goods for sale. It has since grown into an internationally recognized auction house, with over 15,000 regular buyers from around the world.

Robert Brunk, who retired about 10 years ago, recently published a book, “A Question of Value: Stories from the Life of an Auctioneer.” In it, he wrote 31 nonfiction essays about his time working as an auctioneer, exploring the stories and intricacies behind the objects sold and the complexities he encountered as a Mennonite working in the world of high-value art.

Since Brunk’s retirement, the company has passed on to his son, Andrew, a formally trained antiques expert. Robert still lives in Asheville, N.C., where Brunk Auctions is based.