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This DAO Is Trying to Buy the Constitution for $20M
A look at one of the boldest experiments in internet financial organizing yet.
ABOUT
This episode is sponsored by NYDIG.
On Thursday, Nov. 18th, Sotheby’s is auctioning off one of just 13 (or 11, depending on your source) copies of the original edition of the U.S. Constitution, printed in September 1787 for distribution to members of the Continental Congress and the states that would need to debate and ratify the document. It’s the first time the document has been for sale in a third of a century, and this time, a new DAO has sprung up to make the purchase collectively. On today’s episode, NLW breaks down ConstitutionDAO, looking at:
- What the project is trying to achieve
- How quickly it’s coming together and gaining momentum
- What it means for the future of DAOs
See also: ‘I Think We’re Doing This’: Inside One DAO’s $20M Plot to Purchase the US Constitution
“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features Nathaniel Whittemore aka NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell, research by Scott Hill and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Dark Crazed Cap” by Isaac Joel. Image credit: rdegrie/E+/Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk.
HOST
NLW is an independent strategy and communications consultant for leading crypto companies as well as host of The Breakdown – the fastest-growing podcast in crypto. Whittemore has been a VC with Learn Capital, was on the founding team of Change.org, and founded a program design center at his alma mater Northwestern University that helped inspire the largest donation in the school’s history.

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