Do you remember the first item you ever sold online? Let us know by sending an email to ina@auctionbytes.com and we may publish your story. Today we hear from Skip McGrath who discovered the excitement of last-minute bidding on his first sale!

Hi Ina:
Here's an item for your First Item I Sold on eBay. My son discovered eBay in 1997 as a place to buy comic books. By early 1998 he asked me to set up the account so he could sell. I watched him do this a few times and said, "what the heck, I'd like to try that."

I collect books on maritime and nautical history. I had plenty of doubles that you get when you buy lots. I put up a history of sailboat racing in New England. I watched it sit for 6 days with not a bid then suddenly on the last day it started getting bids. With 5 minutes to go it was up to $14.00 and then the fun started. I had dial-up at the time and couldn't refresh the pages very fast, but the auction ended with three bidders fighting it out. The book sold for $19.25. I had paid less than a dollar for it. I was hooked.

Karen and I had boxes of small antiques left over from an antique shop we had closed a few years ago. I pulled out a pair of late 19th Century Beehive brass candlesticks. They are fairly easy to find at country auctions in the NE. We used to sell them in our shop for between $90 and $120 a pair depending on the condition. I can't remember the exact price, but, they ended up selling on eBay for over $140 - more than we ever realized in our shop. Within four months I was a power seller and have been one ever since.
Skip McGrath
http://www.skipmcgrath.com