An eBay bidder bought Warren Buffett’s Lincoln Town Car for $73,200 Friday, almost five times the 2001 vehicle’s worth.
Proceeds of the auction of Buffett’s car go to Girls Inc., a national nonprofit youth organization that provides educational and recreational programs to girls, particularly those in high-risk, underserved areas.
The winning bid was submitted by “billzanker.” In 2004, Bill Zanker, president and founder of The Learning Annex, paid nearly $60,000 in an eBay auction for lunch with media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
A message left for Zanker at his New York office was not immediately returned, and it was not clear if he was the winner of the Buffett auction.
The Learning Annex sponsors seminars around the country on topics including computers, personal growth, business and career opportunities. In February, the company paid Donald Trump $1.5 million to appear at a “real estate wealth expo.”
Buffett’s light gold Town Car has just 14,000 miles on it. Buffett said he quit driving it about three months ago when he bought a Cadillac DTS. The Kelley Blue Book retail value of the car is about $15,000.
Bidding started Sept. 13 with an opening bid of $25,000 and closed Friday afternoon. During the auction, 63 bids were placed by 19 people.
Along with the car, the winner will get Buffett’s “THRIFTY” license plate and an engraved plaque bearing the investor’s signature. Buffett also will pick up the winner at the Omaha airport when he or she comes to claim the car.
Buffett’s spokeswoman, Debbie Bosanek, said he was unavailable Friday to comment.
In June, someone paid $620,100 on an eBay auction to dine with Buffett in New York, with the proceeds going to charity. The lunch was the second-most expensive charity item ever sold on eBay, according to an eBay spokeswoman.
The most expensive charity item ever sold on eBay was a Harley Davidson motorcycle autographed by celebrities that Jay Leno offered last year. That bike raised $800,100 for the American Red Cross’ tsunami relief effort.