See update below.
The bidding for the State of Alabama – all 52,000 square miles, from mountains in the north to the loamy soil of the Black Belt, to the speed traps of Lower Alabama and the sugary sand beaches of the Gulf Coast – was not intense, at least in terms of money.
Though there were at least 25 bids, by all accounts (we have only one, actually) bidding for the Yellowhammer State only got up to $202.50 when it was listed for sale on eBay last night.
Perhaps the bidding never took off because the state is used, nearly 200 years old. And it went through that war in the 19th century that some people are determined to keep fighting today.
Click on the photos to see a larger version of them and read the complete description.
Or maybe it was the item description, which, like the rest of the eBay listing, was pulled down sometime this morning.
The material the state is made of is listed as wicker.
“We loved this state for many years, but now that Alabama is subverting federal law by allowing officials to refuse to perform same-sex marriages, it’s time to let her go,” the seller, Welsh91, wrote in the description. “Frankly, 49 states is enough.”
“Alabama became a state on December 14th, 1819. They have made no recognizable progress since,” the listing says.
According to the listing, attempts at private sales were made previous to the auction listing, but the potential buyers – Iran and Saudi Arabia – “thought it was, frankly, too backwoods and messed up.” Even ISIS said Alabama was too fundamentalist, according to the listing.
The seller did not seem to be particularly motivated to rid himself of the property. He seems to lay out things that would likely be found upon a full inspection. In fact, the seller seems to be quite bitter with the item.
“Education – 49th out of 50,” the seller wrote. “15% of the state is illiterate. So, upon purchase, you might want to invest a little money in dictionaries. A whopping 60% of Alabama believes in Creationism. 60%!!!! Bring a lot of bibles!”
The seller was not offering any refunds, but shipping was free, and 50 percent of the proceeds were to go to “someone like Lambda Legal,” an legal organization that fights for gay rights.
Update 3:15 p.m.: The lister has e-mailed to let us know that his listing is back up after making some changes. It also includes a Certificate of Ownership, entitling the owner to “admittance to Alabama football games (ROLL TIDE),” among other perks. Bidding for the certificate was up to $117.50 at 3:15 p.m.
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