Cowboys Online Auction Winners Corral Their Pieces of History

"This was more about...family history than Cowboys history"

Even during the last week of football for the current NFL season - a week in which their absence from the big game must still be a source of vexation to their rabid fans - the Dallas Cowboys made news just the same. Pieces of the team's fabled history, that had gone on sale back in the fall, were fnally ready to be picked up by those who one them. More from The Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

There were parking signs and parts from concession stands, items that signified little about the history of the famous building they came from.

But there were plenty of signature scraps as well: Tony Romo's locker; the Fiberglas stars that ringed the infield walls; a golf cart with a huge Cowboys helmet.

Winners of a December online auction of more than 600 items went one by one Friday to Texas Stadium to claim their Cowboys memorabilia -- their memories, really.

"My family has had season tickets to Cowboys games since the stadium opened, and someone in my family has been to every home game," said Susie Stephenson of Plano. Stephenson said she paid $380 for a club sign and $300 for a pair of men's and women's bathroom signs that were on the suite level.

"This was more about [buying] family history than Cowboys history," she said.

Texas Stadium, the home field of the Cowboys since 1971, is to be demolished by the beginning of 2010. Many things, such as the Cowboys Ring of Honor, the Super Bowl championship banners and the goalposts, will move to the new stadium in Arlington.

But homes of fans will be decorated with items such as a "Section 3" sign, bought for $200 by Scott Brandt, 38, of Keller.

"It's a really weird feeling," Brandt said. "We walked down the hallway to get our things, and it was cold and lonely. There is no more warmth here. Everything has been stripped bare. It's eerie."

The day's most emotional moment may have come at 1:12 p.m. That's when the stadium's last general manager, Bruce Hardy, gave the OK for six workers to take up the blue-and-silver star that sat in the middle of the field under the hole in the roof that made the stadium famous.

The star wasn't included in the auction and could find a place in the new stadium. But seeing it rolled up and taken away was sad, Hardy said.

"It's been a part of my life for 25 years, and it's just sad to see it go," said Hardy, who retired after the Cowboys last game last year.

"The best thing you can say is what it represents today," he said.

By the way, the price for Romo's locker: $4,000, according to an official with Schneider Industries, which conducted the auction. The Cowboys say Romo's nameplate went for $1,100. The golf cart fetched a cool $12,500.

(Pictured: Robert Detz of Houston loads up chairs from a suite he is emptying at Texas Stadium on Friday. Fans who purchased items from the online auction began picking up their pieces of history. Photo by Ron T. Ennis of the Star-Telegram)

A Story with a Happy Ending: Family Told to Keep Money AND Stuff

Winning bidder offers $20k but asks family to just take the money

On Thursday we brought you the story of a Goerogia couple selling all of their worldly goods on eBay as a way to pay for the health care of two of their children. The story was widly carried and has had a heart-warming resolution. More from The Associated Press:

It started as a family joke: Facing snowballing medical expenses for their two young disabled children, Gregg and Brittiny Peters quipped they might need to sell everything they owned to stay solvent. As the bills tipped $10,000, however, the idea was no longer funny.

So on Thursday, the Gainesville, Ga., couple accepted a winning $20,000 eBay bid for all their belongings minus their house.

It came with one catch. The winning bidders, Donnia and Keith Blair of Texas, want the family to have the money, but keep their stuff.

Seems like the perfect happy ending, except the Peters don't want the money. They say the whole idea was to start over, not take a handout.

The decision is out of their hands, the Blairs say.

"They've worked really hard to get those things and we're in a position to help them," Donnia Blair told The Associated Press Friday. "She can just act like they're my storage facility."

The Peters' lives and finances changed dramatically last April, when their 2-year-old son Noah was diagnosed with autism and with sensory and gastrointestinal disorders. Then in the summer, doctors diagnosed their 7-year-old daughter Ayla with juvenile arthritis. They also have a 1-year-old son, Eli.

Special treatment for the two older children costs about $2,000 a month and the Peters are carrying a $1,400 mortgage on their house in a suburban area about an hour north of Atlanta, said Brittiny Peters, a stay-at-home mom whose husband runs a tennis academy for middle and high school students.

They soon began keeping a list of what they could give away - a jogging stroller here, a dining table there.

"Then it kind of hit us both, let's just sell it all," she said, explaining the couple figured "we will buy these things again some day."

They listed approximately $40,000 worth of items on the popular online auction, from DVDs and leather coats, to the king-sized bed where the family had Saturday morning pillow fights, according to a Web site set up by well-wishers trying to help the couple.

The Peters spent Friday morning trying to persuade the Fort Worth family to accept their belongings, which include a 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe. They even tried to retract the couple's bid.

"They are apparently not willing to take our stuff," Brittiny Peters said. "They're purchasing them to give them back to us."

Now they aren't sure what their next step is.

They are also trying to figure out what to do with money raised on the Web site, http://www.everythingweown.org. They didn't ask for the money and their efforts to return donations have upset some people, Brittiny Peters said.

The Peters are perfectly willing to stick by the bargain. But the Blairs - who wouldn't give details on how they can afford to give away $20,000 - won't budge.

"We've really been blessed the last few years and we saw an opportunity to help," Donnia Blair said.

ODDLY ENOUGH: Family of Missing MO Man Auctions His Things

From Kansas City's KCTV 5 News:

A man vanished without a trace and hasn't been seen for two months, and his family has to auction off his things.

They're selling David Cook's farm equipment that his family fears he'll never need again.

The auction is Saturday at the MO/KAN sale barn in Passaic. Jim Hertzog will be the auctioneer.

"It's really pretty tough," Hertzog said. "Dave was truly a gentleman and a very good friend of ours."

Cook was the caretaker on an Amsterdam, Mo., ranch. He also worked at the KCP&L Power Plant at LaCygne, Kan.

On the morning of Nov. 19, Cook told a friend he had an appointment to meet someone. He hasn't been heard from since.

When family and friends went to his house, his pickup truck was sitting in the driveway and his wallet was inside the house. The only things missing were his cell phone and glasses.

They immediately began searching the large rural area around the house without success. From the beginning, his family has suspected foul play. They said he's not the kind to disappear on his own.

"He had no reason to. He had a lot going for him," said Judy Transue, his sister.

Transue said he has a daughter in college and lots of friends. He loved caring for the animals, including cattle and buffalo, on the large range where he worked.

"He would walk up to them and feed them. He took great pride in that, of how he tamed them and how he could get them to do that," Transue said.

She holds out a glimmer of hope her brother is still alive, but she would really like to know what happened to him.

"Your mind wanders about every day," Transue said. "Could it have been this, could it have been that? Could he be here, could he be there? What happened?"

Cook's family and friends are so anxious for this mystery to be solved they are offering an $80,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

They urged anyone with any information to call the Bates County Sheriff's Department or the Missouri Highway Patrol.

Amazon is Flying High, Outpacing eBay in Sales, Profit

Analyist: Amazon's size and customer service gave it an edge

From Bloomberg:

Amazon.com Inc., the world's largest online retailer, topped sales and profit estimates yesterday after its biggest holiday season ever, outpacing EBay Inc. and its e-commerce rivals.

Amazon.com rose as much as 14 percent in late trading after reporting that net income increased 8.7 percent to $225 million, or 52 cents a share. Sales climbed 18 percent to $6.7 billion. That compared with estimates of 38 cents in profit and $6.45 billion in sales from a Bloomberg survey of analysts.

The company used low prices, shipping promotions and product selection to attract shoppers during a recession. At eBay, holiday sales fizzled, with quarterly revenue dropping for the first time in the company's history. Amazon's size and customer service gave it an edge, said Scott Devitt, an analyst at Stifel Nicolaus & Co.

"Amazon is a company that treats its customers better than EBay," he said. The Manassas, Virginia-based analyst recommends buying Amazon.com shares and has a hold rating on eBay. "From a competitive standpoint between the two, I don't think there's any turning back."

Amazon.com, based in Seattle, rose $7 to $57 in late trading after closing at $50 on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The shares had dropped 2.5 percent this month before today. EBay, down 12 percent so far in January, fell 3.7 percent to $12.25 yesterday.

Sales Forecast

Amazon.com outpaced the rest of the e-commerce market over the past two years and that's likely to continue, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co. Even as the U.S. economy lost 2.6 million jobs last year, the company maintained growth.

First-quarter net revenue will rise to between $4.53 billion and $4.93 billion, an increase of as much as 19 percent, the company said. Analysts had estimated sales of $4.55 billion.

Amazon.com will continue to focus on low prices and free shipping to drive revenue, Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos said yesterday. Still, those sales will carry lower profit margins. Operating income, a measure of profitability, will decline as much as 37 percent to $125 million this quarter, from a year ago, the company said.

eBay, an online forum that lets sellers auction items or set fixed prices, reported a 6.6 percent sales decline last week. The San Jose, California-based company blamed the global e-commerce slump.

Listing Fees

Chief Executive Officer John Donahoe had sought to boost sales by changing eBay's listing fees and bolstering the company's payments unit. eBay now takes a smaller cut when someone lists a product on its site and a bigger commission when the product sells.

Donahoe is trying to boost the number of fixed-price listings, putting eBay in closer competition with Amazon.com and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s Web site. The company also has changed its search feature, which now mixes fixed-price results with auction results. The changes have alienated some merchants.

Amazon.com sells products in more than three dozen categories, ranging from power tools to musical instruments. Once just a book seller, the company opened a site last year that offers more than 300,000 parts and accessories for motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles.

Bezos also has expanded sales of digital media, such as music and video files. The company introduced the Kindle digital-book device in 2007 to encourage book, magazine and newspaper downloads. Kindles have sold out for two straight years ahead of the holiday shopping season.

U.S. online retail sales growth will slow this year to 11 percent, or $156 billion, from 13 percent last year, according to Forrester Research Inc.

Amazon.com has "discounted heavily in order to maintain market share and drive revenue," Fred Moran, an analyst at Stanford Group in Boca Raton, Florida, said in a Bloomberg Television interview. "Given the environment, that might be the right way to go."

Kovels Releases List of 2008's Top Antique & Collectible Searches

Coca-Cola is top brand name on list

From an official release via PR-Inside.com:

Kovels.com last week released its list of the top 20 searches for all of 2008. The Kovels' top 20 list is based on the results of millions of searches that took place on its website during the year. With over 600,000 antiques and collectibles in its online price guide, Kovels.com is the Web's largest free price guide for antiques and collectibles.

People use price guides for a number of reasons, usually to determine the value of an item that they own. If an item isn't listed on the top 20 list, it doesn't mean it is unpopular or that there isn't a demand for it. It only means that in 2008 there was less interest in finding prices for that item. The new list includes comparative data for 2007 as well.

1. Occupied Japan - Up from #7 in 2007
2. Jewelry - Down from #1 in 2007
3. Coca Cola - Up from #4 in 2007
4. Stoves - Down from #3 in 2007
5. World War II - Down from #2 in 2007
6. Furniture - Down from #5 in 2007
7. Capo Di Monte - Up from #12 in 2007
8. Lladro - Up from #13 in 2007
9. McCoy - Up from #20 in 2007
10. Lighters - Down from #8 in 2007
11. Cookie Jars - New to list
12. Knife - Down from #9 in 2007
13. Dolls - Up from #15 in 2007
14. Planters Peanuts - No Movement from 2007
15. Shawnee - New to list
16. Hutschenreuther - New to list
17. Bavaria - New to list
18. Royal Bayreuth - New to list
19. Clocks - Down from #18 in 2007
20. Josef Originals - New to list

White Stripes Drummer Auctioning Kit to Help Ailing Musician

From Yahoo! Music News:

Meg White's drum kit is being auctioned to raise money for a celebrated Detroit musician.

The instrument, which was made famous in The White Stripes' video "The Hardest Button To Button", will go under the hammer next month.

All the proceeds from the benefit sale, which also includes rare memorabilia from other local heroes Iggy & The Stooges, will benefit Jim Shaw.

He was recently diagnosed with cancer and is currently recovering after undergoing surgery.

The auction takes place at the Cpop Gallery venue in Detroit on February 7. Visit Myspace.com/jimshawfundraiser for more information.

Sonny & Cher's 'His and Hers' 1966 Mustangs are Headed to the Block

Cars will be reunited with fabled customizer George Barris

Lest you think the auto auction season has come and gone following the conclusion of the collector car events in Arizona a few weeks ago, thing again. The latest hot spot to host hot rods is Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where (as we first reported back in December) a matched pair of cars will likely garner a lot of attention. More from The Auto Channel:

Legendary Hollywood car customizer, George Barris, reunites with a pair of flamboyant 1966 Ford Mustangs he personalized for pop superstars Sonny and Cher, when RM Auctions Collector Cars of Fort Lauderdale event rolls into Florida next week.

Designed to reflect the onstage personas of the sixties entertainment icons, Sonny's Mustang was finished in Murano Gold Pearl paint with dark brown side panels whilst Cher's car featured a hot pink finish with red side paneling. Both were upholstered in fur and leather and fitted with opulent Mouton fur carpeting, Sonny's in gold and Cher's in hot pink.

The Mustangs went on to star in various films and television shows, including Sonny and Cher's only feature movie, Good Times. Their offering at the Collector Cars of Fort Lauderdale event marks the first time they have come to market in 25 years.

To coincide with their auction, the legendary George "King of the Kustomizers" Barris will make a rare personal appearance at the event. In addition to the Sonny and Cher cars, Barris is also known for creating some of television's most iconic automobiles, including the original Batmobile, Munster Coach and General Lee. He has also designed cars for the who's who of Hollywood from Elvis Presley to Zsa Zsa Gabor.

Other special highlights include:
-- The 1969 Volkswagen "Fire Bug, star of the television show, The Banana
Splits
-- The famous jet black 1979 Lamborghini Countach as appeared in the film
Cannonball Run
-- A 1939 Lincoln Zephyr "Z Custom" Coupe, originally built for casino
developer Steve Wynn
-- A 1988 Pontiac Grand Prix Richard Petty No. 1 NASCAR, fully documented
and raced by the legendary Petty himself
-- A magnificent private collection of American cars and classic Schwinn
bicycles.

RM Auctions Collector Cars of Fort Lauderdale event, presented by AutoNation, will be held at the Greater Fort Lauderdale / Broward County Convention Center, 1950 Eisenhower Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 5th - 8th, 2009. Admission is $20 for a day pass and $50 for the weekend.

Discussion Boards Get New Look at eBay

From AuctionBytes:

Next week, eBay is upgrading its discussion boards to offer several new features along with a new look. eBay's Discussion Boards have forums on many subjects, from Selling and Buying to Clothing and Collectibles. Hundreds of thousands of members participate in the discussion boards daily.

Highlights of the forthcoming changes include more personalization and layout options and displaying My World profile images; time-saving features ("Hover over a discussion thread title and catch a glimpse of the conversation that's taking place before you decide to click into the thread. We'll also rotate through some discussion board posts at the bottom of certain pages that let you see what people are currently talking about."); and enhanced control, such as sorting discussions by date.

The eBay.com Discussion Boards will be unavailable from 4 p.m. to Midnight PT on February 3, 2009, from approximately 4 p.m. Pacific time to midnight.

"Lost" Lady Lilly's Lingerie to Be Found at Auction

Star intends proceeds for children's charity in Brazil

From the Web site ecorazzi.com:

Evangeline Lilly, one of the stars on ABC's mind-f**k "Lost," is getting ready to auction off lingerie for a children's charity in Brazil. Supposedly, everything will hit eBay shortly and feature Lilly posing in the desired pieces. The actress recently hit "Good Morning America" and touched briefly upon the campaign. All of the money raised will go towards TASK Brazil - which improves the lives and supports the needs of children and pregnant teenage girls living on the streets of Brazil.

Georgia Family Auctions Everything to Save Kids

From the New York Daily News:

The plan is to give up almost everything they own to save their kids.

A Georgia couple is selling everything in their house on eBay in a desperate attempt to finance medical care for their sick children.

That means their beds, kitchen table, washing machine. They are even throwing in their car.

The reason?

Gregg and Brittiny Peters have three kids and two of them need constant medical care. One child, 7-year-old Ayla, has a rare debilitating form of arthritis, the other, 2-year old Noah is autistic.

The Peters have been hit with a one-two punch, and the bills are adding up. Gregg Peters is a tennis instructor andBrittiny Peters is a stay at home mom.

"Nothing's more precious than the kids, not a sofa, not a TV. It is as simple as that," said Gregg Peters

The opening price for their E-Bay auction is $20,000, the exact price of their medical bills. The response has been overwhelming.

So much so the Peters have, with the help of their bank, created their own Web site, www.everythingweown.org. They received more than a million hits and a thousand e-mails.

But the bids on their auction has been slow.

It seems that people do not want to take the Peters belongings. But they do want to give them money. More than 800 donations have piled in reaching the $10,000 mark.

They are half way to their goal. They still plan to sell everything on eBay in item-by-item auctions if they don't get any bids for the bulk auction. If that happens, they plan to keep the washing machine and maybe will let their daughter keep her bunk bed.

"I really feel like it's made me stronger, a better person. I've learned more in the last few weeks than in my whole life,” said Gregg Peters.

Hedge Fund Billionaire Pickens to Auction Lunch Via eBay

Proceeds will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters

From the Dallas Morning News:

If you've ever wanted to dine with T. Boone Pickens, now's your chance.

The billionaire will auction himself off on eBay, and the money goes to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Bidding begins at $100,000.

The winner gets to bring seven friends for lunch at Nick & Sam's in Dallas with the legendary oilman, hedge fund operator, philanthropist and - most recently - energy policy developer.

Pickens launched an advertising campaign last year urging lawmakers to cut oil imports by boosting incentives for wind power and natural gas vehicles. Pickens invests in those industries.

The auction starts at 5 p.m. Monday and ends at 5 p.m. Feb. 12. Bidding takes place at www.ebay.com/pickens. Bidders must pre-qualify on eBay.

The winner might want to jot down Pickens' investment suggestions. Nearly every time he publicly predicts oil prices, the market moves that direction within hours.

Bankruptcy Court Gavels Death Row Possessions

Hip-hop fans got their hands on some serious souvenirs

From the L.A. Weekly:

It was perfect. The portrait of Nate Dogg in itself was tacky, but Suge Knight's alleged tweaks to the painting -- black eye and multiple bullet holes -- were priceless. The frameless artifact wasn't the most glamorous or even the most infamous item up for bid at Sunday's "Death Row Auction" in Fullerton, but it was the most poignant. Priceless and poignant, unfortunately, being way out of my price range.

Officially dubbed "Case # 2:06-bk-11205-VZ," the day's festivities were ordered up by the US Bankruptcy Court on behalf of Suge Knight and Death Row Records. As the staple of Los Angeles music and definition of gangster rap for nearly a decade since its 1991 inception, the controversial record label and its fearsome owner ran their pop culture course into the ground shortly after its flagship star, Tupac Shakur, was gunned down in Las Vegas in 1996.

But for nearly 200 bidders at the auction, the spirit of Death Row was still relevant in 2009. The specifics of that relevancy remained varied. For some, it was a chance to make a quick buck. Where else could you buy 17,000 CD copies of Snoop Dogg's Tha Doggfather for four cents a piece? Others were looking for deals...like a pallet full of dated (but working) television sets that sold for $15. And in accord with many of Death Row's notorious business practices, some people were just trying to get their stuff back.

"I wanted to see what the prices were going to be on the some of the pieces that actually belonged to my son, Jay Jenson. He worked for Suge Knight," Diane Jensen said. "I'm trying to buy them back. They actually belong to him, but the bank has them now."

Before the auction began, bidders carefully eyed each other. It was easy to imagine Snoop or Dre sending surrogates for their platinum plaques and VMAs, or even that Suge commissioned troops to make sure certain things stayed unsold. But when the auctioneer commenced the dizzying affair with cases of "Death Row Water" -- for less than the cost of water, to people who clearly had never attended an auction before in their life -- it was apparent that the majority of the day's bidders were there for one thing: Nostalgia.

"I just wanted to be here, I knew it was going to be a one of a kind event," DJ Skee, host of the New Music Show on KIIS, said. "There's been nothing in hip-hop that's quite had its run like Death Row has, that's made so much timeless quality music. You can pop in any of those albums today and they're still relevant...Doggystyle, The Chronic, All Eyez On Me, they're relevant in the club, in the streets, on the radio."

And Skee -- who really is playing non-commerical music on commercial radio every Sunday night -- held true to his claim by paying over $600 on the art proofs for Tupac's All Eyez On Me CD in the day's first spirited bidding war. And when he stuffed a wall-sized platinum plaque presented to Dr. Dre into the back seat of his BMW convertible, he was officially one of the day's bigger players.

But the same guy that snagged my beloved Nate Dogg portrait also won everything else he attempted, including two of the day's biggest prizes: the "Notorious P.I.G." original painting and Death Row's actual electric chair. His name was Dale and his tattoos spoke louder than he did, explaining that he was a fan of "big businessmen like Suge" and that, yeah, he did have a few good spots to put all this artwork. Dale's seemingly bottomless wallet may have left a few fellow bidders bitter -- he'd just hold his arm in the air until everyone else bowed out -- but if bullying wasn't the mantra of Death Row, then nothing was.

(Pictured: Snoop Dogg's 1994 MTV Moon Man award, photo by Brandon Perkins of the L.A. Weekly.)

Auctioneer Ebid to Focus on U.S. Marketing, Launch of API

Company will re-invest '08 profits into U.S. marketing initiatives

From Ina Steiner at AuctionBytes:

International auction site eBid.net said in order to support its 2009 growth ambitions, it will reinvest its 2008 profits into US marketing initiatives that include key strategic partnerships and national advertising. It will also invest in technical and design improvements, include a new listing tool and other features.

eBid's "Ninja Lister" desktop software application enables offline auction creation and helps import auction listings from other sites. Other eBid initiatives include a public API to support third-party applications and widgets; sales tax calculations for US and Canada; the creation of a "Who's Online System" for its online community; and the introduction of non-English versions of the site.

eBid.net said it has experienced 7 - 15% consecutive monthly growth with listings doubling to 2.4 million across 9,000 categories since its US launch in September last year.

eBid co-founder Mark Wilkinson said, "In this tough economy, we want to ensure that sellers make great profits on our site and buyers, who are increasingly looking for second hand or discount items, get the best deals around. To help our community during these tough times, part of our investment will include regular and ongoing cash back promotions for both buyers and sellers as thanks for helping us take a large chunk of the online auction market."

Fortune: eBay Among the Best Places to Work

Auctioneer ranks #83 on 2009 best companies to work for list

FORTUNE announced Thursday that eBay Inc. (Nasdaq:EBAY) has been ranked 83 on the 12th annual "100 Best Companies to Work For" list. The full list and related stories appear in the February 2 issue of FORTUNE, available on newsstands on Monday, January 26, and now at FORTUNE.com/bestcompanies.

A driving factor for the companies on this year's list is that they excel at creating jobs. Of the 100 companies on the 2009 list, 73 are currently hiring.

In his FORTUNE.com blog, Managing Editor Andy Serwer writes, "No matter what happens with the economy, the demand for talent will remain. Great companies know that super-motivated, happy, world-class employees are an incredible competitive advantage."

To pick the "100 Best Companies to Work For," FORTUNE works with Robert Levering and Milton Moskowitz of the Great Place to Work Institute - a global research and consulting firm with offices in 30 countries — to conduct the most extensive employee survey in corporate America.

"We are delighted to once again be recognized by FORTUNE as one of America's best places to work,” said eBay Inc. President and CEO John Donahoe. "Across eBay, PayPal and the rest of our company, our talented employees foster our culture because they are passionate about what we do - connect millions of people around the world every day to buy, sell and communicate online. eBay employees exemplify our values every day, and in good times and challenging times that’s what makes eBay great."

More than 81,000 employees from 353 companies responded to the 57-question survey created by the Institute. Two-thirds of a company's score is based on the survey, which is sent to a minimum of 400 randomly selected employees. The remaining third is based on a company's responses to the Culture Audit questionnaire, which asks detailed questions about demographics, pay and benefits, and open-ended questions on philosophy, communication and more.

Any company that is at least seven years old with more the 1,000 U.S. employees is eligible to be included on the list. The deadline for applying for next year’s list is March 31, 2009. For an online nomination form, go to www.greatplacetowork-100best.com.

The Art of Athlete Autograph Acquisition Detailed

Piece outlines tips for celebrity signature collectors

From Examiner.com:

Prior to diving into the celebrity autograph world, it's important to make a list of the players whose signatures you need. This will provide a focus. Typically collectors seek out a specific team based on where you live, who you followed as a child, or a few heroes that offer inspiration. The Hall of Fame can also be a guideline. Many people choose to assemble entire teams or at least the prominent stars.

Some of the more widely collected teams include:

* 1919 Chicago "Black Sox"
* 1923 New York Yankees
* 1927 New York Yankees or "Murderer's Row"
* 1934 St. Louis Cardinals of "Gashouse Gang"
* 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers
* 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates
* 1967 UCLA Bruins
* 1969 New York "Miracle" Mets
* 1975 Cincinnati Reds or "The Big Red Machine"
* 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Hockey
* 1983 Edmonton Oilers
* 1985 Chicago Bears
* 1992 Dallas Cowboys

The next phase of the project includes a little bit of research. Are the athletes around to accommodate an autograph request? Some autographs can be obtained through mail while others can only be acquired from dealers, collectors shows or private signings. The difference in price can be several hundred dollars. Autograph requests should always include a letter and Self Addressed Stamped Envelope. After all, the athletes are often nice enough to take the time to read the letter and sign an autograph. They should not be burdened with having to pay postage just to return your item. I advise to keep the letter short explaining why you admire them or how you appreciate their contributions. Send only items you're willing to lose - index cards, photographs, posters, and/or sports cards. The reward can be great.

Unfortunately, there's one big problem that always comes up with autograph seekers. Fakes permeate the hobby and can be found everywhere from small shops to on-line auction houses. If you're looking to obtain an authentic signature outside of obtaining it in person or by mail directly from the athlete, be sure to work with a reputable dealer. Quality "Certificates of Authenticity" are essential. If they're signed by a president of some company that claims it's legitimate it may not good enough. The movie "Tommy Boy" says it best:

Ted Nelson: But why do they put a guarantee on the box?

Tommy: Because they know all they sold ya was a guaranteed piece of .... That's all it is, isn't it? Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time. But for now, for your customer's sake, for your daughter's sake, ya might wanna think about buying a quality product from me.

The good signatures will come with a Kodak of the athlete signing the exact item, with acknowledge of the event by the promoter and/or athlete. The certificate, autographed item, and event could be tied together with a hologram/serial number. But, nothing beats obtaining the autograph in person and chatting with your hero

Art Found at Nashville Goodwill Store Sells for Over $8,000

Ellsworth Woodward piece first bought for $75

This is the kind of story that will likely give you pause to look a little more closely to the art you come across at rummage and estate sales:

A 100-year-old Ellsworth Woodward painting found in Goodwill's Nashville warehouse has sold for more than $8,000, according to The Associated Press.

Goodwill of Middle Tennessee spokeswoman Suzanne Kay-Pittman says a Boston bidder bought the painting for $8,101 late Sunday on Goodwill's online auction Web site.

She says Goodwill cannot yet release the buyer's name.

Goodwill worker Susan McCullen says she was sifting through the charity's warehouse when she spotted its gold frame sticking out of a bin.

The water color depicts a wooden ship at an Italian port. An attached letter says it was first bought for $75 at the San Francisco Fair.

Woodward was a Massachusetts native born in 1861 who moved to New Orleans and became an important advocate for Southern arts and crafts.

AMA Motorcycle HOF to Hammer Classic Bike on eBay

1953 Vincent Black Shadow up for grabs

In recent weeks we've brought you word of classic and collectible cars up for auction. However, if you like your motor vehicles on two wheels we've got word of an amazing auction going on now. From Clutch & Chrome:

The AMA's Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is offering enthusiasts the opportunity to add a historic machine to their collection.

Starting today, January 23, the Museum is auctioning a 1953 Vincent Black Shadow on eBay with the auction running through February 1, 2009.

The 1953 Vincent Black Shadow on the auction block was restored by famed Vincent restorer Mike White of Ontario, Canada, and Brent Mayfield of Centerville, Ohio. The 1953 production is fully documented through copies of factory paperwork, and photos of the machine prior to restoration are available.

The Vincent was originally purchased by the Museum specifically for the annual 2008 Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum raffle. This year, for the first time, the winner of the Museum's raffle chose to accept an alternate cash prize instead of the motorcycle, allowing the Museum the opportunity to auction the 1953 Vincent Black Shadow. Interested parties can see and bid on the classic Vincent motorcycle here (if the link doesn't work, go to eBay and enter ID number 160311565061).

Winning the bike is a perfect way to kick-start 2009, and all proceeds will support the non-profit Museum and its mission of telling the exciting stories and preserving the history of American motorcycling.

In addition, enthusiasts can enter the 2009 Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum raffle for a chance to win a pair of Bonnevilles. The 2009 raffle winner, to be picked during 2009 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, will be able to choose one of two prizes: a prize package valued at $35,000 featuring a fully restored 1959 pre-unit T120 Bonneville and an all-new limited edition 2009 50th Anniversary T100 Bonneville, or a $25,000 cash award.

Fundraisers such as the Vincent auction and Triumph raffle, as well as the recently concluded 2008 Leather and Ice Online Holiday Auction are vital to supporting the Museum's award-winning exhibitions as well as the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, which honors the men and women who shaped the industry and sport of motorcycling. Over 400 items donated by 142 museum supporters were up for grabs in the 2008 Leather and Ice Auction, which raised over $25,000 for the Museum.

(Pictured: 1953 Vincent Black Shadow from actual eBay posting.)

NYC Man Charged with Stealing TV Show Garb, Selling It on eBay

Items include brands like Prada, Gucci, Fendi and Dolce & Gabbana

From The Associated Press:

A stage manager has been charged with stealing $30,000 of designer bags and clothing from the television show "Lipstick Jungle" and trying to sell them on eBay.

Arthur Moreira, 27, was arrested Friday after investigators posing as buyers found missing items at his apartment. The haul included 16 coats, bags and suits by Prada, Gucci, Fendi and Dolce & Gabbana.

The Brooklyn District Attorney's office said prosecutors investigated after an employee of Paris fashion designer Sylvia Toledano saw a crystal-encrusted clutch that had been loaned to the show for sale on the Internet.

Prosecutors said Moreira offered to sell the bag and a Burberry coat for less than retail value by explaining that "they fell off the back of a truck."

Moreira worked for a Brooklyn storage and production facility used by the NBC show, which stars Brooke Shields, Lindsay Price and Kim Raver.

Moreira was scheduled to be arraigned Saturday. It was unclear whether he had an attorney.

NFL Artifacts to Go Under the Hammer at Super Bowl Auction

Items from Elway, Unitas, Sayers and Van Brocklin on the block

From the Sun Newspapers:

The great thing about the Super Bowl coming to your town is the opportunity to take part in the NFL Experience. One part of that experience is the opportunity to bring home a piece of...well...the NFL experience.

Hunt Auctions, in partnership with the NFL and NFL PLAYERS will conduct the annual Live Auction at NFL Experience in Tampa on Jan. 31.

The auction will feature more than 300 lots of football-related memorabilia spanning the game's early days through the current era.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to charities designated by the NFL, its players and participating NFL teams.

Highlights of the sale include:

* Johnny Unitas Baltimore Colts helmet c. 1960s (estimated value: $20,000-$30,000).

* Norm Van Broklin Los Angeles Rams helmet c. 1950s ($20K-25K)

* Gale Sayers Chicago Bears road jersey c. 1960s ($10K-15K)

* Early style leather "executioner-style" football helmet c. 1930s ($10K-15K)

* John Elway Denver Broncos jersey c. 1983-88 ($7K-10K)

The auction will take places at 1 p.m. on Jan. 31 within the card show tent at the NFL Experience, adjacent to Raymond James Stadium. There also will be silent auctions with more affordable items.

On Saturday, Sunday, Thursday and Friday during Super Bowl week there will be an appraisal fair conducted by a team of nationally recognized experts at the NFL Experience. Select items from the appraisal fair may be consigned to the live auction. Attendees can call ahead to schedule a private consultation at (610) 524-0822.

Bids for the Live Auction at NFL Experience may be made in person at the auction, via phone at (610) 524-0822 or online at www.nflauction.nfl.com or www.HuntAuctions.com.

More information and a list of items offered is available online at the Hunt Auctions Web sites.

NFL Experience is a long-running Super Bowl event will encompass 1 million square feet on the south side of Raymond James Stadium. The experience includes more than 50 activities, such as games, exhibits, card shows, television and radio broadcats, a Super Bowl mercandise store, football clinics and live entertainment.

'High-End eBay' Offers Ultra Luxury Goods

Swedish site bills itself as "truly transparent"

From CBC News:

A website that bills itself as the "world's first truly transparent luxury marketplace" was launched Friday to allow dealers from around the world to sell "premium goods" such as fancy cars, rare watches, sleek yachts and high-performance aircraft.

JamesList HQ, a privately owned company with "strong financial backing" based in Stockholm, Sweden, said it has created jameslist.com to connect buyers and sellers of luxury goods worldwide. The website is a kind of high-end eBay.

Noam Perski, chief executive officer of JamesList, said a need exists for such a website in the midst of the global financial meltdown because it provides a free online forum where buyers and sellers of luxury items can make deals.

"Given the recent roller-coaster of currency and market fluctuations, we saw an opportunity to give serious buyers the tools they need to find premium goods at the best possible price, regardless of where they are in the world," Perski said in a news release.

"We have brought together the world's best dealers, from Alain Class Motors in Dubai to International Yacht Collection in Monaco, to offer international buyers a complete marketplace."

JamesList has more than 350 dealers, including Orange County Choppers, Kahn Design, ExecuJet and Lamborghini Stuttgart. Its "featured items" include a Boeing 737, a Maserati MC12, a Rolex Day-Date President watch, and a VanDutch 40 yacht.

Prices are listed in euros, and the website is available in English, German and Russian. JamesList said it takes no commission, is not involved in any transactions and is not affiliated with any brokerages, dealers or brands.

In its blurb about itself, the website says: "All of us at JamesList have a true passion for the luxury lifestyle."

ATR notes that jameslist does have competition from the likes of Portero.com, which has been offering "authenticated luxury auctions" since 2004, and there are several luxury real estate auction sites such as International Listings.

(Pictured: Patek Philippe 5002P Sky Moon Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon, which lists for somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.7 million. One of the many ultra-high-end items you'll find on jameslist.com)

Follow-Up: Police Say Wright Chair Not Stolen from S.C. Johnson HQ

Chair was rescued from a dumpster, passed over at rummage sales

Last month we brought you word that police in Racine, WI were investigating whether a chair listed on eBay as a Frank Lloyd Wright creation had in fact been stolen from the Wright-designed headquarters of S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. Finally there is a resolution to the story. Turns out that the chair had not been pilfered but, instead, rescued from a dumpster. What's more, it had failed to sell on several occasions for a modest sum at garage sales.

More from The Journal Times:

Police have ended the investigation into whether a Frank Lloyd Wright chair being sold at auction had been stolen from SC Johnson, and determined no theft was involved.

It turns out that the particular chair being offered online by an auction house was rescued out of a Dumpster, had been sitting in a Waterford garage for years and was passed up at two rummage sales with a $25 price tag.

"I do not see that a theft of the chairs had occurred in this case," the investigator wrote in his report, released this week. "It appears that all of the parties involved did obtain these chairs in good faith."

From exhibit to auction

According to the investigator's reports, police traced the Wright chair - one of hundreds originally made for the S.C. Johnson headquarters at 1525 Howe St. - from a Chicago auction house that had put it up for auction back to a Milwaukee antiques dealer. The antiques dealer told police he had bought the chair and two others just like it from a Waterford man who had listed them on eBay.

Investigators tracked down the Waterford man, who asked The Journal Times not to use his name. He reportedly had rescued the chairs from a Dumpster and had been using them in his garage for two years.

The report says the man worked for an exhibit building company that did work for S.C. Johnson in the 1980s. Some of the famous Wright chairs were part of an exhibit they built. When the exhibit was no longer being used, its contents were put into storage in a Racine warehouse.

In 2003, the Waterford man and co-workers were asked to clean the warehouse out. Police said about five or six of the chairs were tossed.

"(The Waterford man) described the chairs as being dirty, molding, bent and beat up," states the police report.

The man allegedly called his boss a few days later to ask if he could take some of the chairs, and was given permission.

There is reportedly no record of the permission and the man has asked that The Journal Times not identify him because he is afraid of losing his job.

For two years he used the chairs when doing repair work in his garage. The Waterford man said he had no idea what the chairs were or what they were worth.

"I couldn't even sell them at a rummage sale," he told The Journal Times Friday. "They're not that attractive."

According to the police report, the man had put $25 price tags on the three chairs he had in his garage. They sat unsold during two rummage sales.

In 2005, the man decided to sell them on eBay and asked a friend with an account for the online auction to list them for him. Reports say they agreed to split the profits.

In April of 2005, the three chairs were sold to the Milwaukee man for $500, who then sold them to Wright Auction House in Chicago.

Bought and sold

When one of the chairs showed up on eBay last month, an S.C. Johnson employee saw it. The company started looking into whether the chair had been stolen.

In order to stop the online auction, S.C. Johnson contacted police. Officers called eBay security and requested the auction be stopped because the chair was part of a theft investigation.

When the auction ended, four bids had already been placed. The chair was ultimately bought by the owner of a design company in California for $12,000.

However, the investigation stalled the transaction until recently.

Richard Wright, the owner of the Wright Auction House, said the sale of the chair will now go through. He said he never doubted it would.

"I knew it wasn't stolen," Wright said. "The buyer knew it wasn't stolen. A lot of this material has been on the market."

During their investigation, police also learned that the recent sale of the Wright chair is not the first time such pieces have been put up on the auction block. Investigators spoke with three different auction houses that had documentation of selling similar chairs.

A piece of history

"These chairs are a part of a very important culture here," said SC Johnson spokeswoman Kelly M. Semrau. "We want them to always be here for generations to come."

She said they are very grateful that the police department did such a thorough investigation. "It's important to understand how this happened, so it can never happen again," she said.

The office furniture that H.F. Johnson Jr. asked Wright to design for the S.C. Johnson administration building in 1936 is a part of the company's culture and history.

For many years, every employee in the building sat on the Wright chairs and the late Sam Johnson sat on one for 40 years, according to a newspaper story he was interviewed for in 1994.

The metal chairs have simple circular pads on the seat and back. The back support pivots up and down and casters on the four legs allow the chairs to roll across the office.

The 1994 story says the chairs were thought to be the most innovative office furniture in history until ergonomic designs surpassed them. Some still believe it's the most beautiful office furniture ever made and art collectors covet the furniture.

Much of the furniture is still in use at SC Johnson.

During an audit of the company's collection for the investigation, it was determined that four chairs out of nearly 500 were missing. Semrau said they are looking for the missing chairs, checking other storage areas and facilities.

(Pictured: One of the Wright chairs from the S.C. Johnson HQ as photographed by Mark Hertzberg of the Journal Times.)

Go Daddy Marketplace Goes After eBay

$4.99/mo, plus 10% commission fee on each item sold

From The Motley Fool comes word of yet another rival looking to take on eBay:

Just when you thought that it couldn't get any harder for eBay.com, along comes Go Daddy.

Go Daddy Marketplace launched on Tuesday, offering sellers a compelling model where they pay $4.99 a month for unlimited item listings. They are charged an additional 10% commission on any completed sales.

eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY) is unlikely to lose any sleep over a new marketplace competitor. It has taken on the consumer auction initiatives of dot-com heavies like Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN), Yahoo! (Nasdaq: YHOO), and Overstock.com (Nasdaq: OSTK) in the past, and it's still the undisputed belle of the bidders' ball.

However, eBay is in no position to be cocky. It is coming off a quarter in which its marketplace revenue tumbled 16%. It's not a matter of it being susceptible. It's been hit, and hit hard.

Between niche auction sites, edgy retailers like Bidz.com (Nasdaq: BIDZ) (that takes anentertaining spin on moving jewelry), and a plethora of Craigslist wannabe free listing sites, eBay is unlikely to ever command the type of market share that it once owned in its prime.

Does Go Daddy Marketplace have a chance as a fixed-price bazaar? Of course. You have to love the timing. Go Daddy attracts more than 2 million monthly visitors, according to comScore. They are drawn to the site's cheap domain name registrations and competitively priced webhosting services. Traffic at the site tends to spike this time of year, as the company dusts off its racy Super Bowl ads. It is letting its visitors get in on the interactive fun, allowing them to vote for one of two steamy Danica Patrick ads to run during next weekend's big game.

$5 a month is a pittance for most cottage industries, assuming they can live with the 10% commission fees on completed sales. The site already draws Web entrepreneurs for its domain services, so it's already reaching plenty of budding e-tailers. The product marketplace will also draw in sellers that Go Daddy can then try to convert into hosting accounts. All of the pieces fit, even if the Go Daddy Marketplace is slow to get off the ground.

Either way, it's just one more shovel of dirt over eBay's shallow grave.

Will you consider listing any of your fixed-price items with this new platform? Are you likely to give it a try, jump in with both feet, or wait and see? As always, we would appreciate hearing from you.

(Pictured: Model Candice Michelle welcomes you to the new Marketplace.)

'27 Yankees Ruth, Gehrig Photo Up for Bids

From The Associated Press:

A 1927 New York Yankees team photo signed by Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and 45 others is expected to sell for US$75,000 to $100,000 in SCP Auctions' first auction of the year.

The photo was given by Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert to James Hanes, manager of the Hollywood Beach Hotel in Hollywood, Fla., as a token of Ruppert's gratitude for his many visits during the winter and spring training.

Also featuring a 1916-18 Harry Hooper Boston Red Sox jersey and an autographed, game-used 1955 Mickey Mantle jersey, the online auction will end Wednesday.

Click here to find out more or make a bid.

Amazon Tops eBay as #1 E-tail Destination

Nielsen survey shows bankrupt Circuit City down 10%

As reported by InternetRetailer:

Amazon.com once again inched past eBay as the No. 1 online shopping destination in December, according to Nielsen Online. Longtime retail traffic winner eBay last month gave up its traditional top spot to Amazon after months of slipping traffic.

Amazon.com, No. 1, attracted 61.08 million unique visitors last month, up 2% compared to December last year. EBay's traffic fell 3% to 57.43 million.

Below are the top 14 retail web sites in December, with unique visitors in millions this year and last and the percentage change.

* Amazon, 61.08, 59.62, 2%
* eBay, 57.43, 59.37, -3%
* Wal-Mart, 39.70, 36.66 8%
* Target, 36.89, 37.58, -2%
* Best Buy, 25.48, 23.99, 6%
* Sears, 22.27, 17.63, 26%
* Circuit City, 17.69, 19.61, -10%
* JCPenney, 16.72, 16.28, 3%
* Dell, 15.92, 17.46, -9%
* Overstock.com, 15.83, 17.02, -7%
* Netflix, 14.31, 10.94, 31%
* Toys R Us, 13.72, 13.93, -1%
* Kohl's, 13.59, 10.63, 28%
* Barnes & Noble, 13.25, 11.48, 15%

Unique visitors count only once each shopper who came to a site, no matter how many times the shopper visited. This is a custom list compiled by Internet Retailer of the top e-commerce sites in this category based on Nielsen Online data.

The top 10 online consumer goods advertisers in December, with impressions in millions and share of impressions, according to Nielsen Online, were:

* Sears Holding Corp. 620.32, 6.0%
* General Mills Inc., 584.18, 5.7%
* FRS Company, 563.71, 5.5%
* iQ Derma, 460.75, 4.5%
* Unilever, 436.64, 4.3%
* The Procter & Gamble Co., 426.28, 4.2%
* Avon Products Inc., 361.63, 3.5%
* LL Bean Inc., 292.70, 2.9%
* OOKISA, 276.66, 2.7%
* Citrus World Inc., 241.54, 2.4%

Auto Library Picks 'Collectible Car of the Future'

Panel says '09 Dodge Challenger "will become the most desired by future car collectors"

The smog has barely blown out of Scottsdale in the wake of the recent collector car auctions there when some automobile buffs have put their minds to the task of picking what car collectors might covet in the future. The prediction of the Friends of the National Automotive History Collection (NAHC) is that that car is the 2009 Dodge Challenger (pictured).

More from an official press release:

From all of America's new cars and trucks in 2008, the all-new 2009 Dodge Challenger will become the most desired by future car collectors. That is the prediction of the Friends of the National Automotive History Collection (NAHC).

"The 2009 Dodge Challenger selection is unique among all the 'Vehicle of the Year' awards, because it is selected by 'car buffs' who know what future collectors will value," said Matthew Lee, chairman of the NAHC Board of Trustees. "We asked our members to predict which of this year's new vehicles will turn heads in the Woodward Cruise of 2033 -- and the 2009 Dodge Challenger is it."

Members of the organization, which supports the world-famous automotive collection at the Detroit Public Library, vote annually to predict the "Collectible Vehicle of the Future" from the year's new American-built cars and trucks. The all-new 2009 Dodge Challenger was selected from 17 all-new vehicles launched in 2008.

"It is a great honor to have the Friends of the National Automotive Historic Collection select the all-new 2009 Dodge Challenger as America's most desired new car by future collectors," said Tony Elias, Chief Engineer -- Dodge Challenger.

"The all-new Dodge Challenger pays homage to a rich performance heritage and integrates the best of modern American muscle-car characteristics -- unmistakable design, world-class handling, powerful engines and technology -- while delivering quality and excitement across many generations to ensure its place as a 'Collectible Vehicle of the Future.'"

The all-new 2009 Challenger resurrects the Dodge brand's pony car past, delivering the emotion and performance car enthusiasts young and old can appreciate. The new Dodge Challenger features numerous heritage design cues including the bold character lines, recessed grille with round dual headlamps, 'Four Bomb' gauge cluster, chromed fuel-filler door with classic 'FUEL' script and a performance hood with scoops designed to cover and cool the iconic HEMI V-8 engine.

The award will be presented to Dodge executives by the Friends of the NAHC at their annual holiday reception on Saturday, January 17, the public opening day of the North American International Automobile Show. It will be at the NAHC's quarters in the Skillman Branch Library in downtown Detroit.

The NAHC is the world's largest public archive of automotive lore and a treasure for automotive historians, journalists and collectors. Its collection of books, manuals, photos, company histories, and historic documents is open to the public.
Previous winners of the NAHC's Collectible Vehicle of the Future include:
2007 Dodge Viper SRT10 2006 Pontiac Solstice 2005 Ford Mustang 2004 Chrysler 300 2003 Dodge Viper 2002 Ford Thunderbird.

The Friends of the Detroit Public Library supports the collection through the NAHC Board of Trustees, which raises funds and provides volunteer assistance.

Collectibles: Obama Girls Are Now Beanie Babies

Maker says Sweet Sasha & Marvelous Malia not meant to represent new first daughters

We told you numerous times by now that the great bulk of Barack Obama memorabilia will likely never accrue any serious monetary value. From Franklin Mint coins to newspaper front pages, there is just too much of it in circulation - meaning there is a lack of the scarcity that usually accompanies items that command big dollars from collectors. But we're not at all sure what to make out of Beanie Babies bearing the names of the newly minted first daughters. The Obama girls have already won the hearts of many Americans and now seven-year-old Sasha and 10-year-old Malia have truly become real dolls. Or have they?

More from The Associated Press:

The company that made Beanie Babies a top toy craze is hoping for another winner with dolls named "Sweet Sasha" and "Marvelous Malia."

Now where have we heard those names before?

Ty Inc. has released the 12-inch plush dolls as part of the company's "TyGirlz Collection," introduced in 2007. The Sasha doll has pigtails and wears a white and pink dress with hearts. The Malia doll has a side ponytail and a long-sleeve shirt with capri pants.

The Oak Brook-based company chose the dolls' names because "they are beautiful names," not because of any resemblance to President Obama's daughters, said spokeswoman Tania Lundeen.

"There's nothing on the dolls that refers to the Obama girls," Lundeen said. "It would not be fair to say they are exact replications of these girls. They are not."

Public figures have a legal right to control their how their images are used, but Lundeen would not comment on legal issues or if the company's lawyers have become involved with the dolls.

"I'm not an attorney. I can't answer that," she said.

The dolls have "real doll hair" and the suggested retail price is $9.99, Lundeen said. The dolls were introduced in early January and a limited supply has been shipped to retailers.

In the real world, 7-year-old Sasha and 10-year-old Malia have been the focus of intense interest. A throng of reporters followed their first day at school. News reports detailed what they wore on Inauguration Day.

That fascination will make the Ty dolls a success, said Denise Gary Robinson, president of DollsLikeMe.com, an online specialty doll boutique that specializes in ethnic dolls, toys and gifts.

"Girls all over the world, of all colors, will be looking for these dolls. They want to identify with these two girls," Robinson said.

"Obama" Among the Top Gainers in eBay Search Terms

New president's name also among the most in-demand searches

By now it's obvious that the new U.S. president is riding a wave (more like a tsunami) of acclaim and popularity. Using just about any measure, Barack Obama's landslide win in November has translated into excitement and support from both his constituents in America and many around the world following his inauguration on Tuesday.

So just how popular is Mr. Obama? By one metric - one that measures when people are willing to put their money where their mouths are - he is very popular indeed. What people are searching for on eBay provides a unique look into what is on the minds and in the hearts of collectors and prospective profiteers. And through this prism Barack Obama can be seen as one very popular fellow.

We visited eBay's Research Labs to see just what folks were searching for at the moment, and all things Obama (especially the Obama Spider-man #583 comic) is a good summary of what we found.

The Top 10 Most In-Demand Search Terms for 1/20/09:

1) Nike
2) natural
3) park
4) zoom lens
5) test
6) intermec cn3
7) iPhone
8) Obama
9) coach
10) lot

Where it's really interesting is in 1/20/09 Top Gainers:

1) obama washington post newspaper
2) barack obama
3) 583 obama
4) obama 583
5) obama signed
6) toyota key
7) obama hawaii
8) obama new york time
9) obama usa today
10)usa today obama

Jack Daniels Sets Aside Special Obama Barrel

Select barrel will age for the duration of new president's first term

If you want to lift a glass to toast the new U.S. president you might want to get your hands on a bottle of special Jack Daniels whiskey that has been set aside to honor Barack Obama. On the other hand, if you do acquire one of these special bottles you're likely not going to want to drink it. It's all academic for the moment, since the selected barrel won't be ready for sipping for four years, reports Nashville's WSMV-TV:

The world-famous Jack Daniel's whiskey distillery is doing its part to honor the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

A special presidential barrel of whiskey was placed Tuesday in a warehouse in Lynchburg, Tenn.

This presidential barrel was selected and placed in the top floor of one of the distillery's maturation warehouses at the exact time Obama was sworn in as the 44th president.

Once it's mature, it will produce about 240 bottles of whiskey. The Obama whiskey will be ready sometime within the next four years.

The master distiller will taste it periodically and decide when it's ready to drink.

Every four years, the distillery will name a barrel of Tennessee whiskey in honor of the new president. The proceeds will go to the president's charity of choice.

Master distiller Jeff Arnett personally selected the barrel. He said the whiskey's founder, Jack Daniel, was known for hosting inaugural parties to honor the swearing-in of a new president.

Web Traffic Grows by Over 13% at Replacements.com

Site's visits exceeded three million for December

From Business Wire comes word that one of our favorite sites is doing robust business:

Despite a turbulent December for many retailers, Replacements, Ltd. experienced a record number of visits to the company's Web site. For the first time ever, customer visits to www.replacements.com exceeded three million in a calendar month, up 13.5 percent from the previous December. Web order volumes were up 15 percent over the same time period for the world's largest supplier of old and new china, crystal, silver and collectibles.

"The fact that we were up 13.5 percent over last December when many market leaders in e-commerce saw negative traffic growth is helpful for us in validating our online strategies," says Jack Whitley, senior vice president of e-commerce. "One reason we continue to see consistent growth is that we've stuck to our marketing plan even in bad times and have continued to scale our online advertising in areas where we are seeing success; we now run more than five million ads in our core Web advertising campaigns, in addition to other online, offline and public relations initiatives."

The company has seen tremendous online growth since launching its site just over a decade ago. The Replacements.com web team, which includes founder and CEO Bob Page, recorded 1,991 visits when the site went live in June 1998, a fraction of December's 3,030,236 visits. A leading industry magazine, Internet Retailer, ranked niche merchant Replacements as the 166th largest e-retailer in the United States for 2008.

"We have an inventory of more than 13 million pieces in china, crystal, silver and collectibles that is constantly changing, with thousands of new and interesting pieces coming in everyday," says Whitley. "Even with that massive inventory to browse, we still get hundreds of testimonials from visitors each month telling us our site is fast and easy to use. We feel that the discipline to keep Replacements.com cleanly laid out and user friendly is an absolute factor in being able to continue to grow our traffic."

Page started the company in the attic of his home in 1981 and entered the e-commerce world 17 years later with Replacements.com. Overall company sales for 2008 exceeded $86.5 million.

Welcome to the Recession, eBay

Shares tumble on dismal Q4 earnings report

Yesterday we brought you word on the latest developments at a sextet of would-be eBay rivals - all of which had good news to report. Things aren't so rosy at eBay, as reported by the Associated Press:

eBay Inc.'s fourth-quarter earnings fell 31 percent, indicating that its Internet auctions and "Buy It Now" offerings are being hurt by the recession just like traditional retail sales.

The results, combined with a forecast below analysts' expectations, sent eBay shares skidding more than 6 percent in after-hours trading.

San Jose, Calif.-based eBay said Wednesday it earned $367 million, or 29 cents per share, in the quarter. That was down from $531 million, or 39 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter.

Excluding one-time items in the most recent period, eBay earned 41 cents per share - 2 cents higher than the prediction of analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. Revenue fell 6 percent to $2.04 billion, missing analysts' expectations for $2.12 billion. The company said the decline stemmed mostly from the recession and the strengthening of the dollar. Deals done in other currencies now translate into fewer dollars.

In an interview, Chief Executive John Donahoe said the company knew it would be a difficult fourth quarter, as consumers held on to their money. "They wanted to make sure every dollar counted," he said.

Among other issues, there was also no gotta-have-it gift item during this holiday season, unlike previous years. Donahoe said EBay often benefits from the scarcity of such products by becoming one of the few places shoppers can still buy them.

Sales from eBay's marketplace segment - which includes eBay, Shopping.com, StubHub and other e-commerce sites - fell 15 percent to $1.27 billion. In the company's PayPal unit, which handles online payments for eBay and other sites, revenue climbed almost 11 percent to $623 million.

The company's number of active users - an important measure of how well eBay is attracting new buyers and sellers - rose almost 4 percent to 86.3 million.
Yet eBay's gross merchandise volume - the total amount of money that flows from transactions on the site, excluding those involving vehicles - sank 12 percent to $11.5 billion. This marked the second quarter in a row in which this metric has declined. Until last year it had never happened to eBay at all.

A bit more than half of eBay's fourth-quarter gross merchandise volume - 51 percent - came from auctions; the other 49 percent came from sales of fixed-price items, which have been steadily rising and made up 46 percent of the company's gross merchandise volume in the third quarter. Donahoe said the shift "reflects the ongoing evolution of eBay."

Cowen and Co. analyst Jim Friedland said he was looking for a lot of negative things going into the fourth quarter. "When we looked at the results, there was really nothing that stood out that was either more negative or, on the flip side, there wasn't anything that was more positive," he said.

For the full year, eBay earned $1.78 billion, or $1.36 per share. Revenue totaled $8.54 billion.

Looking ahead, eBay expects first-quarter earnings of 21 cents to 23 cents per share, or 32 cents to 34 cents when excluding one-time items. The company forecast revenue of $1.8 billion to $2.05 billion for the period.
Analysts were expecting adjusted earnings of 40 cents per share on $2.1 billion in revenue in the current quarter.

"The macroeconomic environment will continue to be extremely challenging in 2009 and we planned conservatively," Donahoe said during a quarterly conference call with analysts.

eBay shares fell 86 cents, or 6.5 percent, in after-hours trading. Before the earnings report they finished regular trading up 73 cents, or 5.8 percent, at $13.28.

Auctions Net Big Bucks for Canadian Police

Toronto Police Service pilot project earns over $700K

Ever wonder what happens to all that bling the police seize from gangsters? Check eBay.

For five years, the Toronto Police Service has been using online auctions to get rid of old evidence seized during investigations that is no longer required by police or the courts, reports CNews.ca:

The online auctions, which also sell items turned in to police that go unclaimed as lost property, have collectively received more than 400,000 bids and have netted police $714,671 (approx $565,000 USD) since the pilot project began in 2003.

Winning bidders have come from as far away as Alaska, Germany, Denmark and Israel.

Today, the Toronto Police Services Board is being asked to open for tender the online auctioning service contract, now held by Toronto-based Rite Auctions. According to the report, in the last five years there has been a rise in the number of companies that prepare items for online auctions, and costs could be lower elsewhere.

RUBY, DIAMOND NECKLACE

City of Toronto, Toronto Transit Commission, Hamilton and Halton police services also use online auctions.

The report to the board also states the police themselves cannot get the items ready for auction on eBay because the cost would negate the proceeds from the auction and, in fact, would cost them money.

Last year, online auctions netted the board $180,261 but police estimate the cost of preparing the items for auction in-house would cost $391,631 annually.

Some of the more costly items now being offered on eBay by the Toronto Police are a $1,220 14K gold, ruby and diamond necklace; a $665 14K gold, ruby and diamond bracelet; and a $465 Batavus Spirit Entrada Cruiser bike.

But it's not all bling and bikes. Also on auction is a $51 skid lot of industrial paints, a $19.39 lot of tealights and floating candles, a box of unscented white candles for $8, and assorted toothbrushes for $3.91.

The auction items can be viewed through the Toronto Police Services website at torontopolice.on.ca.

GunPal, GeoVario Announce GP Auctions - Affiliate Auction Site

Website owners will profit from push-button integration of worldwide database

Popular CDN & webhosting company GeoVario, and GunPal, have teamed up to bring you GP Auctions.

"GP Auctions is a revolutionary approach to the auction model. With our system, existing website owners will directly profit from a push-button integration of a worldwide database of items," says Ben Cannon, CEO, in an official release.

GP Auctions uses a unique patent-pending model in which registered affiliates drive traffic to a central database of auctions. Auctions started or concluded by affiliate website users directly generate revenue for that affiliate based upon the final value of the auction.

"This is like being able to shop at - and support - your favorite mom & pop shop - but with the prices of Wal-Mart and the selection of Home Depot, Lowes and ACE Hardware combined," says Cannon.

GP Auctions will go live in beta form during February 2009 with selected affiliate sites, including Calguns.net and TheHighRoad.us.

After the beta period, membership will be open to all sites.
"Our team is in the unique and enviable position of having the capitol, experience, and trust of the community to make this revolutionary," says Cannon.

Launched in 1994, GeoVario has become the leader in the specialized market of highly available application hosting, and content delivery.

GunPal, headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, was created by Ben Cannon in 2008 to serve the financial and transactional needs of the firearms community. "The firearms world is dragging its vendors into the 21st century - this business literally needs tech in order to thrive. GunPal will usher in a completely new way of doing business that will also serve to advance the cause of RKBA directly.

ODDLY ENOUGH! For Sale: One Brain

Florida inventor puts his gray matter on eBay

From WJXT-TV via MSNBC:

A Middleburg man who describes himself as an inventor and a troubleshooter, among other things, is offering his mind to the highest bidder.

Charles Griffin said he is a genius and that he's brilliant with a beautiful mind that he wants to share with the world, for a price. Griffin doesn't want a penny for his thoughts; he wants 100 pennies.

He has posted a listing for people to bid on his mind on eBay, saying he wants to directly impact other lives.

"Some people have thought, 'You did what? You put your mind on eBay?' But those close to me and even my customers know that the ideas I come up with and the things that I do are worth a great deal of money," Griffin said.

The 42-year-old has put his mind up for sale. The starting bid is $1.

"I feel I have a brilliant mind. I have a lot of things that I can offer to people. I'm in that business. That is what I do. I help people. I'm not a contractor. I'm a handyman," Griffin said.

He said he considers himself a man who thinks outside the box and believes that his ideas could really help others.

The evidence of Griffin's mind at work is in his home. He has set up two viewing stations in his living room so there's no fighting over the remote. He designed a powerless pool filter that runs with CDs. Griffin has also set up a spring-activated gate to his driveway.

"He is unique and he is strange," said Griffin's wife, Atha. "That's what everybody wants to say is that he's strange then yes he is strange, but in a good way. I really think it is in a good way, and I really think he can help people out there if they just give him a chance."

"It's not a gimmick to make money. The reason I say that is, whoever bids can be sure to know it's not a gimmick to make money. These funds can be controlled by whoever bids," Griffin said.

The winning bidder will get full access to Griffin's mind, including his ideas, thoughts and inventions.

Barrett-Jackson Exceeded Expectations at 38th Annual Scottsdale Auction

Auctioneer recorded $68 million in sales

The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company announced that it exceeded industry-wide expectations by recording more than $63 million in sales last week during the 38th annual Scottsdale auction. The all-No Reserve auction featured an eclectic offering, including a 1929 Ford 4-AT-E Tri-Motor airplane that sold for $1.21 million and the "first production" 1955 Ford Thunderbird that fetched $660,000. Despite an uncertain economy, numerous Barrett-Jackson records were set, including $220,000 for a 1959 Chevrolet Corvette convertible, $250,000 for a 50th Anniversary Hurst Performance 2008 Dodge Viper and $137,500 for a 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 fastback.

Hailed as "The World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions," the 2009 Scottsdale event featured over 1,100 collector vehicles and 40 hours of live, high-definition TV coverage on SPEED. For the third consecutive year, more than 200,000 people attended the Scottsdale auction.

"The car collector community enjoyed another stellar Scottsdale event at Barrett-Jackson," said Craig Jackson, Chairman/CEO of Barrett-Jackson. "It was truly a celebration of our hobby and its resiliency. Sales were solid from start to finish and exceeded expectations. Barrett-Jackson was an oasis for hundreds of thousands of people looking to escape the economic headlines and enjoy some amazing cars in beautiful weather."

The rare Tri-Motor aircraft, one of only a handful known to be in existence today and extensively restored by aviation expert Bob Woods has led a storybook existence, including being shot during the World War II attack at Pearl Harbor. The Thunderbird that was sold is also overflowing with provenance, as it is documented by Ford Motor Company as No. 1 and represents the birth of Ford's sports car program.

In addition to the top sellers, Barrett-Jackson offered a healthy collection of entry level to mid-range cars. With nearly 70 percent of all purchases made by new buyers, these vehicles served as the nucleus of the 2009 event. The diverse docket also catered to buyers planning to spend conservatively in today's economy.

"Our customers asked us to offer more mid range vehicles this year," noted Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. "And the solid sales performance demonstrates the wisdom of our approach. While the Tri-Motor and Thunderbird were highlights of the week, collectors really responded to cars in the $50,000 to $150,000 price range. We're cognizant of the current economic conditions and made sure to offer something for everyone."

Barrett-Jackson joined forces with General Motors to offer a select group of vehicles from the GM Heritage Fleet, which was embraced by the company's diverse clientele. "The General Motors Offering represented an opportunity for collectors to own a piece of GM history," continued Davis. "An example was the show-stopping 'Blackhawk' concept that went for more than $500,000. Many of the vehicles from the GM Offering exceeded our original estimates, validating this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

The top 10 cars sold in Scottsdale include:

* 1929 Ford 4-AT-E Tri-Motor airplane - $1.21 million (Lot #1307)
* 1955 Ford Thunderbird convertible "Production No. 1" - $660,000 (Lot #1295)
* 1996 Buick Custom "Blackhawk" - $522,500 (Lot #1303)
* 1970 Plymouth Superbird custom tribute - $501,100 (Lot #1289)
* 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCAR "Jeff Gordon's" - $500,000 (Lot #1274)
* 2005 Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo 2-door coupe - $412,500 (Lot #1305)
* 2009 Ford Mustang FR500CJ Cobra Jet prototype - $375,000 (Lot #1333.1)
* 2010 Chevrolet Camaro "First Retail Production" - $350,000 (Lot #1316)
* 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL-1 COPO coupe - $319,000 (Lot #1277.1)
* 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Yenko COPO coupe - $297,000 (Lot #1278)

With strong sales last week in Scottsdale and a successful inaugural Las Vegas auction last October, Barrett-Jackson has recorded over $90 million in sales over the last four months. The company is taking consignments for Palm Beach as it carries forward the momentum of the car collecting passion exhibited by its performance in Las Vegas and Scottsdale. The 7th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Palm Beach, Fla., will be held April 9-11.

For eBay Alternatives, Business is Good

Alibris Sees Rise in Collectibles, Etsy Going Global

From Ina Steiner's AuctionBytes:

Alibris said its revitalized Rare and Collectible page has seen a big increase in people seeking and purchasing rare and collectible items. The page received 450% more visitors than visited its collectible-items page a year ago and received a 300% increase in purchases from a year ago. On the UK site, the numbers were even higher, with more than 800% growth in traffic and sales from a year ago. Alibris said it recently experienced a $10,000 sale of a signed first-edition of Barack Obama's memoir, Dreams From My Father. "While such sales aren't typical, interest and sales for rare and collectible items is rising," it told sellers, and reminded them to use its "Collectible" flag when listing and/or editing antiquarian inventory. (Click here for more on Alibris.)

Atomic Mall has added Amazon Payments as a new payment option on its marketplace. Sellers who choose to offer the payment service will have the Amazon logo included in their product pages and allows buyers to use their pre-existing Amazon.com account information.

eCrater merchants submitting product feeds to Google Base can have their Google Checkout badges appear next to their listings in Google Product Search (Shopping). eCrater also released December traffic data for its storefront service. During December, traffic reached 120,000 unique visitors, and the month was the strongest in terms of sales and traffic in its history.

Etsy is going global and asked sellers to complete a survey focusing on issues unique to international sellers. The survey is open through January 23, 2009. Etsy also said it recently completed beta testing of Etsy Web Analytics (provided through Google Analytics). Sellers may now enable the feature to help them measure traffic to their listings.

Manion's International Auction House passed its 2-year anniversary of offering eBay-style listings by third-party sellers. The online auction site said it has 1,400 registered users, well over $200,000 in sales, and thousands of current listings. Manion's CEO Jody Tucker said, "We realize this is pocket change to eBay and other mammoth operations. But Manion's List it Yourself is a brand new service dedicated exclusively to collectibles - no consumer goods are allowed." The auction house, which has provided collectibles consignment services since 1970, has been online since 1995.

Wigix is running a contest to encourage members to refer friends to the site. For each referral, members will receive two free transactions on Wigix, and those signing up as part of the referral will receive $5 off their first purchase of $25 or more. The member with the most referrals through February 28th will receive a free Wii from Wigix.

(Click HERE for more recent news from the word of emerging eBay alternatives)

New Zealand Watchdog Says Home Auction is Illegal

"There is a huge element of chance in this so-called auction..."

Yesterday we brought you the story of a New Zealand couple trying to employ a unique auction as a way to sell their home. The idea is novel and also, it turns out, illegal. So reports The New Zealand Herald:

A couple trying to kickstart a unique method of auctioning super-cheap homes are refusing to give up after a warning that it would be illegal.

Real estate agent Brad Maxwell and wife Janice had been planning to test the new internet auction format by selling their Christchurch house, valued at $594,000, for no more than $1100.

Potential buyers would pay $100 for a "seat" in the auction, and when enough were signed up to make it economical, bids would be taken.

Mr Maxwell said it was a "genuine auction" that could make buying a house affordable for many.

But the country's gambling watchdog, the Department of Internal Affairs, has poured cold water on the idea.

Under gambling laws, it was illegal on several grounds, said department gambling compliance manager Debbie Despard. "There is a huge element of chance in this so-called auction in which people pay to participate.

"It is also online gambling, which the [Gambling] act defines as 'remote interactive gambling'. Gambling with prizes exceeding $500 can only be conducted by societies raising money for authorised charitable purposes, but this sales scheme is conducted by a private person for personal profit and cannot be licensed by the department."

Mr Maxwell said the Internal Affairs stance would not kill his idea. If it needed tweaking, he was happy to work with officials on that.

He said if he were forced to shut down the auction, he would. "But what I would really like is an opportunity to work with the [department] to see how we may modify the system."

Mr Maxwell said he had received huge support since his idea went public yesterday. People had offered about $20 million worth of real estate for sale in online auctions.

Ms Despard warned that participating in illegal gambling was a criminal offence, and any agreement would be on "shaky ground."

(Kudos to Nick in Studio City, California for his comment in this regard, which was right on point. See his comment, posted in the original story. And, for a look at another home sold in a somewhat similar manner, check out this story from The Associated Press)