A Japanese man has taken the bold step of selling the Earth itself on Yahoo Auctions, claiming it was a divine gift from God. This unusual sale began with a starting bid of just 69 yen (approximately $0.86), but as the auction unfolded, the price skyrocketed to an astonishing 9,889,895,888 yen (around $123 million) before closing[1][6][8].
The seller, who insists that the Earth was bestowed upon him in a dream by none other than God, has set some peculiar rules for potential bidders. Each bid must be accompanied by a message affirming the bidder’s serious intent to purchase the planet; otherwise, the auction could be shut down and restarted at the original price[1]. This stipulation has led to some rather humorous exchanges between the seller and interested parties. For instance, when asked if Cuba could be sold as a special package item, he whimsically suggested relocating Havana to Saitama, Japan[1].
As if that weren’t enough, the seller has also provided responses to questions that range from the absurd to the downright nonsensical. One curious bidder inquired about shipping via Altair, to which he replied that it would take 17 light years just for the bank transaction to complete—clearly indicating that interstellar shipping might not be feasible after all[1].
With such an outlandish premise and a whimsical approach to customer inquiries, this auction has captured the imagination of many. As we ponder who might become the new owner of our planet—or whether this is all just an elaborate prank—one thing is for certain: this story is one for the ages. “God help us all,” indeed![1][5][6]
The Result
In an unexpected turn of events, the auction for the Earth on Yahoo Auctions has officially closed, with a winning bid of 75,500 yen (approximately $940). This peculiar sale, which began with a starting price of just 69 yen, garnered significant attention and numerous bids, but ultimately ended with a relatively modest final price compared to earlier bids that had soared to over 9 billion yen. The seller, who claimed that God instructed him to sell the planet in a dream, had to restart the auction multiple times due to prank bids. Despite the initial frenzy and humor surrounding the listing—where potential buyers asked absurd questions about shipping and package deals—the auction concluded without any major surprises. As it stands, the new “owner” of Earth is left with a unique title and a hefty responsibility that comes with it—though one must wonder what exactly that entails in practical terms!
Read More
[1] https://soranews24.com/2012/11/01/japanese-person-given-earth-as-a-present-from-god-sells-it-on-yahoo-auction/
[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/japanesestreetwear/comments/wkndmq/how_to_buy_from_yahoo_jp/
[3] https://japanrabbit.com
[4] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/09/13/japan/society/shrine-priest-misappropriate-sales/
[5] https://hardforum.com/threads/man-attempts-to-auction-off-the-earth.1726265/post-1039296033
[6] https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/hashtag/content/281018/japanese-man-auctions-off-planet-earth/story/
[7] https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-257497
[8] https://www.techeblog.com/japanese-man-auctions-off-planet-earth-for-123-million/
[9] https://www.jauce.com
[10] https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/23185-yahoo-is-getting-too-expensive/