Treasures long forgotten by history have been uncovered beneath the surface in underground digs or hidden away in attics or storage spaces. In the case of a rare document nearly 237 years old, it was in a nondescript squat metal filing cabinet that had been sitting discarded and gathering dust in an eastern North Carolina home for who knows how long.

Two years ago, a property was being cleared out in Edenton, North Carolina when a rare copy of the U.S. Constitution was found. 

The rare piece of American history — the only U.S. Constitution of its kind thought to be in private hands – will go up for auction by Brunk Auctions on Sept. 28 in Asheville, North Carolina. The minimum bid for the auction of $1 million has already been made and it is expected to go for a much higher price tag.

The uncovering of history

The copy up for auction was discovered at Hayes Farm, an 184-acre plantation in Edenton once owned by Samuel Johnston. He was the governor of North Carolina from 1787 to 1789 and oversaw the state convention that ratified the Constitution.

“There’s been a long period where this house and library have been recognized as a very important repository for history and historic documents and objects,” Brunk said.

In the 1980s, most of the books, documents and artifacts from the home — some going back to Johnston — were donated to the state of North Carolina and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Seth Kaller, a historical document appraiser and collector, said while going through the house’s contents in 1983, the family found a rare copy of the Declaration of Independence that was sold at auction for a then-record price of $412,500.

The filing cabinet, for some reason, was not sorted through, and the U.S. Constitution remained unseen for another four decades. In 2022, while the property was being cleared out and sold to North Carolina, which is converting it into a public historic site.

The history behind it

On Sept. 18, 1787, the drafted proposal for what would be the framework of the U.S. Constitution was sent to the Confederation Congress for discussion and approval. After a heated debate at the site of what today is the Federal Hall National Memorial in New York City, Congress resolved to send it to the states for ratification.

Charles Thomas, the secretary of that Congress, ordered 100 copies printed — and only signed a fraction of them. Of those that he signed, only a handful are known to still be in existence.

This copy of the U.S. Constitution is one of those handful he signed. Historians believe Thompson likely signed two copies for each of the original 13 states, essentially certifying them. These were set to special ratifying conventions where representatives would then wrangle for months before accepting the framework of the U.S. government that continues today.

“This is the point of connection between government and people, and it’s the moment when the idea of ‘we the people’ really takes hold,” auctioneer Andrew Brunk said of the document, adding: “This is the moment the government is asking the people to empower the government and create, you know, the essential government, but it’s the will of the people that you know they’re waiting for it. That’s what this document captures.”

Along with the Constitution on the broadsheet printed front and back is a letter from Washington asking for ratification. He acknowledged there would have to be compromise and that rights the states enjoyed would have to be given up for the nation’s long-term health.

“To secure all rights of independent sovereignty to each and yet provide for the interest and safety for all — individuals entering into society must give up a share of liberty to preserve the rest,” wrote the man who would become the first U.S. president.

“What’s really incredible about the Constitution is that they didn’t write a plan of government just for them based on what they knew, but they wrote a plan of government that was forward-looking, and that was the first time a government’s being invented with the idea that it’s going to need to be amended and change,” Kaller said. 

Brunk said he isn’t sure what the document might go for because there is so little to compare it to. The last copy of the Constitution like this sold was for $400 in 1891.

In 2021, Sotheby’s of New York sold one of only 14 remaining copies of the Constitution printed for the Continental Congress and delegates to the Constitutional Convention for a record $43.2 million.

Other items up for auction

While the Constitution is the main attraction, there are other items up for auction in Asheville including a 1776 first draft of the Articles of Confederation and a 1788 Journal of the Convention of North Carolina at Hillsborough where representatives spent two weeks debating if ratifying the Constitution would put too much power with the nation instead of the states.

Kaller said the draft of the Articles of Confederation is presumed to have been owned by Joseph Hewes, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence who was known to have stayed in Johnston’s home. The word “Confederation” is inked in the back of the document in the hand of Hewes.

There is also a reproduction of Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze’s 1851 version of his famous painting, Washington Crossing the Delaware. It is believed to be a 19th-century German copy of the painting.

The Colorado vs. Colorado State game will be played today. Both teams come into Week 3 with one loss and one win.

Keep reading to find out how and when to watch the Colorado vs. Colorado State game, even if you don’t have cable.

How and when to watch the Colorado vs. Colorado State game today

The Colorado vs. Colorado State game will be played on Saturday, September 14, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT). The college football game will air on CBS, and stream on Paramount+ and the platforms featured below.

How and when to watch the Colorado vs. Colorado State game without cable

While many cable packages include CBS it’s easy to watch the game if CBS isn’t included in your cable TV subscription, or if you don’t have cable at all. Your best options for watching are below. (Streaming options will require an internet provider.)

Paramount+: Watch CBS-aired college football games without cable

If you want to spend your weekend watching football but don’t have a cable subscription, consider a subscription to Paramount+. Paramount+ gives viewers access to all CBS original content, movies and more. NFL fans can enjoy CBS-aired NFL games on Paramount+ for $7.99 per month. Or,  watch college football on the Paramount+ Showtime tier starting at $12.99 per month. 

The platform live streams college and NFL football games airing on CBS, NCAA college football, PGA Tour golf, professional soccer.

What you can stream with Paramount+: 

• SEC college football games live (with Paramount+ with Showtime)
• All  NFL football airing on CBS locally and nationally 
• On-demand CBS programming, including hit shows like “Survivor” and “NCIS”
• Paramount+ original programming like “Lawmen Bass Reaves” and “Tulsa King”
• Professional soccer, including Champions League live (with Paramount+ with Showtime)

Add Paramount+ to your Amazon Prime Video subscription

You can also add Paramount+ to your Prime Video subscription to access CBS-aired NFL games, plus Paramount+ originals. Add Paramount+ Essential to your Prime Video subscription for $7.99 per month and watch every CBS-aired NFL game this season. Or, college football fans should add Paramount+ with Showtime to their Prime Video subscription to get access to CBS-aired college football and more for $11.99 per month. Both subscription tiers include a seven-day free trial. 

Watch the Colorado vs. Colorado State game with free Fubo

Live TV streaming service Fubo offers the same top-tier programming you can get from your local cable provider at a fraction of the price. The streamer is a sports fan’s dream considering the sheer volume of live sporting events you can watch on it.

Fubo packages include access to NCAA and NFL football games airing on your local CBS affiliate, Fox Sunday NFC games via “NFL on Fox,” “Sunday Night Football” on NBC, “Monday Night Football” on ABC and ESPN, and all games aired on NFL Network. There are plenty of channels for NCAA college football fans too, including SEC Network, Big Ten Network and ESPNU.

If you want to give Fubo a try, now’s a great time to do so: Fubo is currently offering $30 off your first month of any subscription tier. That means you can watch every college football and NFL game airing on network TV this week starting at just $49.99 after a seven-day free trial. Once you subscribe, you can begin watching immediately on your TV, phone, tablet or computer.

Top features of Fubo:

• There are no contracts with Fubo. You can cancel at any time.
• Fubo offers a seven-day free trial for all pricing tiers.
• The Pro ($49.99 first month, $79.99 thereafter) tier includes over 200 channels, including channels not available on some other live TV streaming services.
• Upgrade to 4K resolution with the Elite with Sports Plus tier ($69.99 first month, $99.99 thereafter). It features 299 channels, including NFL RedZone.
• Fubo also offers live MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and international soccer games. 
• All tiers now come with unlimited cloud-based DVR recording.
• You can watch on up to 10 screens at once with any Fubo plan.
• Stream on your TV, phone, tablet and other devices.

Sling TV: Save 50% and stream college football

If you don’t have cable TV that includes CBS, one of the most cost-effective ways to stream college football this season is through a subscription to Sling TV. We suggest leveling up your coverage to the Orange + Blue with Sports Extra tier to get more NFL and college football games this fall.

The Orange + Blue plan regularly costs $60 per month, but the streamer currently offers a 50% off promotion for your first month, so you’ll pay just $30. The Orange + Blue with Sports Extra plan is $45 for your first month and $75 per month after. The Sports Extra add-on features 18 channels, including NFL Redzone, ESPNU, SEC Network, Big 10 Network and ACC Network, making it ideal for pro and college football fans.

The streamer is also currently offering big savings on four months of the Orange + Blue tier plus the Sports Extra plan when you prepay for the Sling TV Season Pass. The plan costs $219, reduced from $300.

Note: Because Sling TV does not carry CBS, Sling subscribers will want to add Paramount+ to their bundle. The Sling + Paramount+ still offers the most cost-effective way to stream NFL games airing on network TV. (Paramount+ and CBS Essentials are both subsidiaries of Paramount Global.)

Top features of Sling TV Orange + Blue plan:

• Sling TV is our top choice for streaming major sporting events like NASCAR.
• There are 52 channels to watch in total, including local ESPN, NBC, Fox and ABC affiliates (where available).
• You get access to most local NFL games and nationally broadcast games at the lowest price.
• All subscription tiers include 50 hours of cloud-based DVR storage.
• You can add Golf Channel, NBA TV, NHL Network, NFL RedZone, MLB Network, Tennis Channel and more sports-oriented channels (18 in total) via Sling TV’s Sports Extras add-on.

Watch the Colorado vs. Colorado State game on Hulu + Live TV

You can watch college football, including CBS, with Hulu + Live TV. The bundle features access to 90 channels, including both Fox and FS1. Unlimited DVR storage is also included. Watch every game on every network with Hulu + Live TV, plus catch live college football games, exclusive live regular season games, popular studio shows (including NFL Total Access and the Emmy-nominated show Good Morning Football) and lots more.

Hulu + Live TV comes bundled with ESPN+ and Disney+ for $77 per month after a three-day free trial.

Watch today’s game with a digital HDTV antenna

You can also watch sports airing on network TV with an affordable indoor antenna, which pulls in local over-the-air HDTV channels such as CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, PBS, Univision and more. Here’s the kicker: There’s no monthly charge.

For anyone living in a partially blocked-off area (those near mountains or first-floor apartments), a digital TV antenna may not pick up a good signal — or any signal at all. But for many homes, a digital TV antenna provides a seriously inexpensive way to watch sports without paying a cable company. Indoor TV antennas can also provide some much-needed TV backup if a storm knocks out your cable.

This ultra-thin, multi-directional digital antenna with a 65-mile range can receive hundreds of HD TV channels, including ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Fox, and Univision and can filter out cellular and FM signals. It delivers a high-quality picture in 1080p HDTV, top-tier sound and features a 12-foot digital coax cable.

If you’re anxiously waiting for today’s game to begin, now is a great time to check out Amazon’s college football fan shop. The Amazon College Fan Shop is filled to the brim with officially licensed fan gear: You’ll find jerseys, team flags, T-shirts, hoodies and more, including tons of great gear for the football fan in your life. There are plenty of great deals awaiting you at Amazon, too, including some must-see deals on TVs for watching sports.

Tap the button below to head directly to the College Fan Shop page on Amazon and select your favorite team.

What is the Colorado Buffaloes current team ranking?

The Buffaloes are currently ranked No. 75 out of 134 teams, according to our sister site CBS Sports.

What is the Colorado State Rams current team ranking?

The Rams are currently ranked No. 95 out of 134 teams, according to CBS Sports.

When is the 2024 NCAA college football championship game?

The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Monday, January 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.