www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Popemobile for Sale? Bids Top $1 Mln on EBay

This is too funny or maybe too sad, don't know which At least it isn't the Eucharist someone saved. I guess I can understand a car. Sounds like the young man made a pretty good investment.

ROME (Reuters) - A second hand car once said to be registered in the name of Joseph Kardinal Ratzinger -- the new Pope Benedict - is up for sale on eBay and the sky seems to be the limit when it comes to bidding.

The vehicle, a metallic gray 1999 Volkswagen Golf, went up for auction on the German site (www.ebay.de [ebay.de]) at a minimum price of 9,900 euros ($12,790) on Wednesday and, just over 24 hours and more than 300 bids later, the price had hit one million euros ($1.3 million).

German Web Site n-tv.de identified the seller as Benjamin Halbe, 21, from the town of Olpe in Germany's Sauerland region, who said he bought the car from a local dealer in January.

It drives like heaven," the site quoted Halbe as saying.

The Web Site of the German newspaper Bild quoted an eBay spokeswoman in Germany as saying the online auctioneer had checked with the vehicle licensing office which had confirmed the name of the original owner was genuine...... http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=8335819

Wow the things people will purchase! If the vehicle had been registered in Italy or the Vatican City State it might be credible. If the vehicle was registered in Germany, I would be doubtful it once was the property of the Holy Father.

Pope's old car smashing records on eBay

Interest in Pope Benedict XVI's old Volkswagen, currently on offer on eBay Germany, has smashed all records for the Internet auction site with nearly four million hits, the company said.

"It was viewed more often than any other item we have ever had on eBay Germany," the Berlin headquarters said.

The bidding for the metallic gray 1999 Golf IV in mint condition started at 9,999 euros (about 12,800 dollars), and by Monday, with more than 136 registered offers, had reached 62,595 euros.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/050502/1/3saok.html