We've all seen the headlines where an item sells for an outrageous sum on eBay, but the items on the list below are a testament to excess. Every day, buyers have to sift through thousands of high-priced, dubious items, but in rare cases, that six- or seven-figure opening bid is meant to be taken seriously. Our list includes what you may expect: antiques and luxury vehicles— but you may find yourself surprised at the numbers they can actually bring.
The "Gigayacht" by Frank Mulder
In 2006, the 4Yacht brokerage in Fort Lauderdale, Florida posted an auction for an immense (405-foot-long) floating mansion, and called it the Gigayacht. It carried a "Buy it Now" price of $85 million, far eclipsing previous records, but that price was actually a 50% deposit on the purchase price. The Gigayacht was then the pinnacle of luxury in water-borne transportation, being far more opulent than previously listed superyachts.
A Gulfstream II plane
This seller certainly didn't need any bubble wrap rolls to ship his item! The twin-engine jet was initially intended for traveling business magnates, but when Tyler Jet (out of Texas) posted one on eBay back in 2001, the record-shattering sale price meant great publicity for eBay. It sold for $4.9 million, and was instrumental in the launch of eBay's aviation segment.
An entire town (Albert, Texas)
Bought by Bobby Cave from Austin in 2003, it was posted on eBay in 2007 for an asking price of $2.5 million. That doesn't seem like much, until you find out the town's population: just four people! The transaction took nearly two years to complete, and the buyer was Brandon Easley, Albert's town manager.
Honus Wagner baseball card (1909)
Regarded as the Holy Grail of baseball card collecting, this ultra-rare card depicts John Peter Wagner, who was known as Honus. It was bought for just $600,000, which seems like peanuts when compared to the $1.265 million that seller Michael Gidwitz made. (That money certainly could have bought a lot of packaging!) Don't go on a treasure hunt through your old baseball cards just yet, though— there were only fifty ever made, and almost none are in such good condition.
2003 Ferrari Enzo
This exotic car is the most expensive item ever sold on eBay's UK site, and the most expensive car ever sold on the auction site. Despite that fact, most auto buffs consider the final price of £420,000 quite a bargain.
Guest post written by Amy Fowler on behalf of UK Packaging, suppliers of packaging such as bubble wrap rolls. Find out more here.
The "Gigayacht" by Frank Mulder
In 2006, the 4Yacht brokerage in Fort Lauderdale, Florida posted an auction for an immense (405-foot-long) floating mansion, and called it the Gigayacht. It carried a "Buy it Now" price of $85 million, far eclipsing previous records, but that price was actually a 50% deposit on the purchase price. The Gigayacht was then the pinnacle of luxury in water-borne transportation, being far more opulent than previously listed superyachts.
A Gulfstream II plane
This seller certainly didn't need any bubble wrap rolls to ship his item! The twin-engine jet was initially intended for traveling business magnates, but when Tyler Jet (out of Texas) posted one on eBay back in 2001, the record-shattering sale price meant great publicity for eBay. It sold for $4.9 million, and was instrumental in the launch of eBay's aviation segment.
An entire town (Albert, Texas)
Bought by Bobby Cave from Austin in 2003, it was posted on eBay in 2007 for an asking price of $2.5 million. That doesn't seem like much, until you find out the town's population: just four people! The transaction took nearly two years to complete, and the buyer was Brandon Easley, Albert's town manager.
Honus Wagner baseball card (1909)
Regarded as the Holy Grail of baseball card collecting, this ultra-rare card depicts John Peter Wagner, who was known as Honus. It was bought for just $600,000, which seems like peanuts when compared to the $1.265 million that seller Michael Gidwitz made. (That money certainly could have bought a lot of packaging!) Don't go on a treasure hunt through your old baseball cards just yet, though— there were only fifty ever made, and almost none are in such good condition.
2003 Ferrari Enzo
This exotic car is the most expensive item ever sold on eBay's UK site, and the most expensive car ever sold on the auction site. Despite that fact, most auto buffs consider the final price of £420,000 quite a bargain.
Guest post written by Amy Fowler on behalf of UK Packaging, suppliers of packaging such as bubble wrap rolls. Find out more here.
Ebay is such a piece of crap! that I hardly ever buy anything from there anymore. It used to be that you could find some good bargins on there years ago before the sellers figured out the they can command insanely ridiculous prices on either buy-it-now or starting bid minimums.Then there are the deep-pocketed so called collectors who will pay any figure for an item just to have bragging rights or hoard away in their private museums.Any item with the keywords "rare","classic" "hard to find" "vintage" etc. means that: be prepared to spend major money if you want something with these descriptors attached.Then let us not forget the good ole shell bidding of which i'm certain i've encountered on at least two occasions.Ebay swears up and down that this practice doesn't go on however, i've seen some strange goings on in regards to this.With this said i've taking a "back seat" to this foolishness and let the so-called real players learn their lessons by perpetuating their own disease. typos free of charge!
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