The Ultimate Mickey Mouse Plush

[Another Voice]

Alternate Title – “How Michael Really Sees Mickey”

If anyone is interested, the eBay auction for The Golden Mickey statue is currently up. It’s described as being two feet tall and made out of 1,500 ounces of 24k gold. It’s claimed it’s valued at more than $1 million dollars, but that’s close to two and a half times the value of it’s gold content.

Opening bid is $700,000 but you have to register with some sort of rich-person approval service beforehand. A local station here in Los Angeles did a piece on this and stated that 10% of the auction’s proceeds will go to charity. The eBay page lists the charity as the Make A Wish Foundation.

For those of you with the high-limit VISA card, the link is http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1185673464&ssPageName=HB03. Hurry, bidding ends on Friday.

P.S. – I wonder if they’d consider putting this in the pin trading hat???

[JeffJewell]

It’s claimed it’s valued at more than $1 million dollars, but that’s close to two and a half times the value of it’s gold content ...yeah, I think they used the same valuation/content ratio when deciding to pay $5 billion for Fox Family and the 'Rangers...

Jeff

[MickeyMoose15]

Maybe I should go on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? before I start the bidding. :D

[hopemax]

Two family members of mine are on the Disney Advisory Council which provides Disney with feedback about special events and merchandise. They found out about this gold Mickey back in April. They were told that the idea came about because another cartoon character (I can't remember which one maybe Snoopy?) was cast in gold and sold in auction for about $1 million dollars, and so if that character did so well, Mickey would surely do more.

My thought is that you really need a special set of circumstances for things like this to sell. I don't think it can be as obvious attempt to prostitute a character as this. You need a couple of interested people who get caught up in a bidding frenzy. Also a lot of this stuff is sold to owners of businesses who put in on display in an office lobby or something. Would Disney legal even allow that or would they say that gives the idea that Disney is associated with the business? If I didn't feel comfortable knowing I could display the item wherever I wanted, I wouldn't bid.

[lrodk]

You need a couple of interested people who get caught up in a bidding frenzy.

It could happen a lot easier than you think. There are a few high-roller-type Disneyana collectors out there who would love to scoop up this one-of-a-kind- piece. I've attended a few Disneyana auctions in the past and have heard phone-in bidders drop upwards of $50,000 for a dumbo ride vehicle without thinking twice about it. Some celebrities, including Michael Jackson, have extensive Disney collections, and of course have deep enough pockets to add to their unique collection. I don't think it will fetch $1 mill, but the minimum will be hit IMHO.

[JeffJewell]

...the auction appears to have ended last week without a bidder.

I guess the thing _was_ priceless, after all.

Any one heard what the next stop might be for this manufactured collectible?

Jeff