Remember last month when we told you about the Minnesota home-rebuilder who bought a fixer-upper for $10,000 and then found a copy of Action Comics #1 from 1938 hidden in the wall? It was expected that the rare book would go for at least six figures, and when the auction closed last night, the final bid was for $175,000. [More]
Update: Comic Book Found In Wall Sells For $175,000 At Auction
By June 12, 2013
Man Pays $10K For House, Finds $107,000 Comic Book Hidden In Wall
By May 22, 2013
When a Minnesota home remodeler decided to plunk down $10,100 for a fixer-upper to rehab, he just assumed it was a no-lose investment. Little did he know about the rare comic book he’d find stashed in the wall of the house. [More]
When An International eBay Seller Says ‘Just Keep Waiting,’ Don’t Listen
By May 7, 2013
I. calls the eBay scam that he encountered recently a “new” scam, but it’s actually an ancient and time-honored one. How it works is simple: an international seller claims to have sent your item, then stalls until after the period during which you can file a complaint against the seller has expired. THis leaves you with no ability to leave bad feedback and no recourse, and eBay knows it. [More]
keep huntin'We’ve said it once, we’ve said it a bajillion and four times — we just know there’s some kind of prize out there waiting for us to find, buy for a paltry sum like say, $3, and then discover that it’s worth a whole lotta money. One lucky person snagged a $3 bowl at a tag sale in 2007 and displayed it in the living room for a few years before having it examined. It just sold at auction for $2.2 million. Sigh. [Associated Press]
Now You Can Own Guns N Roses' Old Dryer (If You Outbid Me)
By September 4, 2012
Like many a 13-year-old in 1988, Guns N Roses’ Appetite for Destruction had a near-permanent place in my Walkman (or whatever knock-off my mom had told me was just as good). And as an adult, one of my proudest moments was getting yelled at for nearly 90 minutes by Axl Rose’s lawyer (it’s a long story; catch me after a couple of cold beverages and I may tell it to you). But now I — and multitudes of others who still know how to play the solo from “Rocket Queen” — have the chance to bid on a souvenir that will tag you as a super-fan: the band’s clothes dryer. [More]
Frequent Flier Mile Auctions Look Like A Sucker Bet
By March 6, 2012
If you’re a member of any of the major airlines’ frequent flier programs, you’ve probably received e-mails trying to get you to use those miles to bid on auctions for anything from resort getaways to Kentucky Derby passes. But the people who win these auctions may just be tossing away good miles. [More]
Car Auction Company Says It's Selling Off John F. Kennedy's Hearse
By January 13, 2012
Many admirers of President John F. Kennedy have tried to walk in his footsteps, but now a car auction company says it has the hearse that drove his body from the hospital to the airport after his assassination. Which means you could ride in his deathmobile, if that’s your kind of macabre thing. [More]
Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' Jacket Is Worth $1.8 Million To Someone
By June 27, 2011
One week after Marilyn Monroe’s dress from The Seven Year Itch fetched a whopping $5.8 million at auction, the iconic red and black zipperiffic calfskin jacket from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video managed to scare up $1.8 million from a buyer. [More]
Madoff's Underwear Contributes To More Than $400K Raised At Auction
By June 7, 2011
Personal items that belonged to convicted fraudster Bernie Madoff were auctioned off to high bidders over the weekend. His underwear, art and an honorary diploma helped raise more than $400,000 intended to go toward repaying his swindled investors. [More]
NJ Man Selling 212 Phone Number For $1 Million
By March 25, 2011
212 is a coveted area code for your phone number. It says that you are in Manhattan, established, and among the set that could pop its collar if it wanted to but chooses not to. Now a New Jersey man is trying to auction off his 212 number for $1 million on eBay, hoping the proceeds will cover care for his elderly mother, who has dementia, reports New York Daily News. For those that might question whether the number really has value, consider that 6 months after he got the number, Verizon called asking if they could have it back, saying they usually reserve it for “big companies.” Sorry, Charlie, prestige has its price. [More]
Judge Says Blockbuster Can Go Ahead And Sell Itself
By March 11, 2011
Mired in $1 billion of debt, Blockbuster asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to let it auction itself off. After restructuring its plan to better suit creditors who were calling for liquidation, Blockbuster has been granted verbal approval by the court to go ahead and put itself on the market. The judge still has to put his decision in writing to make it official. [More]
Something Strange Is Going On At This Silent Auction
By February 16, 2011
David and his roommate attended an event over the winter holidays that included a silent auction for the benefit of charity. He and his roommate both bid on the same autographed item. First the auction organizers called David to let him know that he had won. Then they called his roommate to tell him that he had won the same item in the auction, with the next lower bid. They weren’t told while bidding that the item was one-of-a-kind, but something about this situation doesn’t seem right, either. [More]
Lee Harvey Oswald's Coffin To Go Up For Auction, Minus Lee Harvey Oswald
By December 1, 2010
If you’re searching for the perfect holiday gift for the conspiracy nut in your life, here’s a deal for you — The first coffin of Lee Harvey Oswald, the most famous of the dozen or so men who shot John F. Kennedy, is going to go up for auction in L.A. [More]
James Bond's 'Goldfinger' Aston Martin Sells For $4.1 Million
By October 28, 2010
Just to show that the yucky economy hasn’t stopped some people from whipping out their wallets, the tricked-out Aston Martin from the James Bond films Goldfinger and Thunderball was auctioned off yesterday in London for a cool $4.1 million. [More]
Scare The Crap Out Of Your Friends In The Costume From Creepiest Snickers Commercial Ever
By October 26, 2010
More than a few of you have expressed feelings of fear and horror at that Snickers TV ad we wrote about a few weeks ago. And just in time for your last-minute Halloween needs, you can bid on the actual creepy costume from the commercial. [More]
More Buyers Lined Up For Lehman Art Auction Than When Firm Sold
By September 30, 2010
The art and ephemera of the failed Lehman Brothers firm fetched more interest at auction Wednesday than it itself could when it was put on the block, racking up $2.53 million in sales from over 200 participants. Of note was highest sale price item Gabriel Orozco’s “Atomists: Jump over” for $157,248, and a metal Lehman Brothers sign and a lot that included a sign of its mission statement that went for $21,744. The sign read, “We are one firm defined by our unwavering commitment to our clients, our shareholders and each other.” Ah, memories. [More]
Bid On 'Lost' Props So You Can Make A Series Finale Worth Watching
By July 19, 2010
I, like many people who spent too many hours attempting to solve the 6-season puzzle that was Lost, was more than a tad bit disappointed in the show’s final episode. But now we all have the chance to recreate our own versions of how the finale should have gone — and do it with actual props from the show. [More]
Sex.com Can Be Yours If You're A Millionaire
By March 10, 2010
If you ever wanted to buy sex.com and have more than a million dollars sitting around, now is your chance. Head over to Maltz Auctions, submit your bid Thursday and watch the page views roll in. [More]
