NEW YORK — Several iconic artifacts -- including a 1776 broadside printing of the Declaration of Independence and a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln -- will be part of a Christie’s Auction that will be held on Friday.
The event, called “We the People: America at 250,” will be held in New York City beginning at 10 a.m. ET. It will showcase historic documents and artifacts, along with American art.
The broadside printing of the Declaration of Independence, produced in New Hampshire by printer Robert Luist Fowle, could fetch between $3 million and $5 million, The Associated Press reported.
From the birth certificate of Apple to masterworks of American genre painting, Christie’s specialists choose their highlights of Americana Week. 🇺🇸https://t.co/b9cXgVFw5k
— Christie's (@ChristiesInc) January 11, 2026
“It’s historically significant because you get to see what people at the time actually saw,” Peter Klarnet, senior specialist for books, manuscripts and Americana at Christie’s, told the news organization.
Rufus King’s printed and edited version of the Declaration’s Committee of Style Draft of the Constitution is also part of the 44 items that will be on the auction block.
The document, printed five days before the final version was released on Sept. 17, 1787, could also sell for between $3 million and $5 million, the AP reported.
Another founding document up for sale is Rufus King’s edited draft of the U.S. Constitution, estimated at $3 million to $5 million. Printed just five days before the final version was issued on Sept. 17, 1787, the document captures the nation’s founding charter as it was being finalized.
“This is the Constitution taking final form,” Klarnet said. “You can see the edits being made in real time.”
Other featured items include the 1976 partnership agreement that established Apple Computer. Artwork is also part of the sale, most notably a Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington that was presented to James Madison.
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