Man sells record collection on eBay for $3-million

Globe and Mail ^ | Feb. 22, 2008

[Wolfie]

Man sells record collection on eBay for $3-million

PITTSBURGH — This could be a record “record.”

A Pennsylvania man says he can now retire because someone has bought his massive collection of vinyl albums, singles and CDs on eBay for the asking price — $3-million (U.S.).

Paul Mawhinney says a buyer from Ireland agreed to shell out $3,002,150 for his collection of nearly three million vinyl albums, singles and CDs.

The winning bidder has already deposited $300,000, and Mawhinney says a bank has confirmed he has enough money to buy the collection.

EBay spokeswoman Karen Bard says the price is one of the highest recorded by the online auctioneer. She says a Gulfstream jet once sold for $4.9-million.

The 68-year-old Mawhinney, who is legally blind after having suffered a couple of strokes, closed his Record Rama store near Pittsburgh yesterday after 40 years. He says he wants to spend time with his wife, three children and five grandchildren.

[jdm]

Looks kinda like David Bowie circa 1970.

[GregB]

There goes Record o Rama..sigh...

[GregB]

Did they taste good!

[John123]

A dollar an vinyl album is a pretty good price. You can break it down and sell what you don’t want to break-even I think...

[al baby]

yeah you want the recipe

[Polybius]

What? The guy had 3 MILLION records for sale? Think about how long it would take you to collect 3 million of anything.

Yep. Forty years running a record store.

" .... closed his Record Rama store near Pittsburgh yesterday after 40 years."

[GregB]

never mind!!!!!I got a big mouth!!!

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Story does not have a happy ending:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08054/859659-388.stm

Record Rama bidder turns out to be a fraud

Saturday, February 23, 2008

By Scott Mervis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The $3 million winning bid for the Record Rama collection on eBay was a fraud, according to J. Paul Henderson, agent for the sale.

Mr. Henderson said he got a call from an eBay executive last night explaining that the "jopsoup" bid was not legitimate and the account has been suspended.

The Irish man with that screen name says he didn't even know about the bid until after the fact.

"Jopsoup" told the eBay executive that he was a victim of identity theft.

"He claims he went to an Internet cafe and got the e-mail with the invoice from us and wondered 'what the hell is this?' " Mr. Henderson said.

Mr. Henderson says he and owner Paul Mawhinney plan to re-list the collection and run the auction in a more "semi-private" fashion with screened bidders.

They also have a few private collectors coming into town who will examine the collection of 3 million albums and CDs, cassettes and 8 tracks.

[Wolfie]

Bummer. Starting in May, buyers like this won’t even have to worry about negative feedback from the seller.

[Tribune7]

ping

[AGreatPer]

Thanks for the up-date. Wonder where his store was located? I know the owners name but can’t remember where from. Seem to remember a profession with that name too.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

The store was in the North Hills on Perry Highway.

Another article said he had a number of back-up buyers, so hopefully one of them is legitimate.

[dljordan]

I thought that was fake until I Googled it. Oh my Lord that’s so gay.