George Washington's Copy of the Constitution

Fox News released the story:

Book containing George Washington's copy of Constitution fetches nearly $10M

A book originally owned by George Washington that contains his own annotated copy of the Constitution recently sold for close to $10 million dollars at Christie's, this amounted to more than three times the expectations.

After a fierce bidding war between two unidentified parties forced the price to go up, Christie's erupted in applause erupted as the hammer came down for the 223-year-old book which sold for $9,826,500 to The Mount Vernon Ladies Association.

The 106-page leather-bound book has many of Washington’s personal annotations inside noted with care in the book’s margins. Washington’s family crest along with the motto mindexitus acta probat (meaning: the ends justify the means) are printed on the title page. Beside the crest, is the signature "G. Washington".

"There are four bound copies for members of the government, but the George Washington provenance makes this by far the best of all," Michael DiRuggiero co-owner of Manhattan Rare Books Company related to FoxNews.com.

"He clearly read it and annotated it to mark on his power. It's almost as though he used this book as a guide," DiRuggiero added.

The Acts of Congress volume, printed for him in 1789, is in nearly-pristine condition and includes a copy of the Constitution, a draft of the original Bill of Rights, the acts responsible for creating the Executive, State and Treasury departments.

The book was at his Mount Vernon home until 1876, at which time it was sold by George Washington's nephew, Lawrence Washington, at a Philadelphia auction house in 1876 for a mere $13, roughly $277 in today’s value. The newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst came in possession of the book and then it was sold in 1964 to businessman H. Richard Dietrich Jr. for $27,000 or around $200,000 today’s value.

"An item of this quality would attract collectors of Americana and non-collectors because of its rarity. It's extraordinary," DiRuggiero said.

The current owners, The Mount Vernon’s Ladies Association own and maintain Washington's Mount Vernon estate. Their association is noted as the oldest national historic preservation organization in the United States.

Thanks to them, George Washington’s Copy of the Constitution is back home where it belongs…