Mastodon skeleton up for auction on eBay

How much is that mastodon in the window? About $115,000, not including shipping.

Odd as it may sound, a Northern California couple has put a 3-million-year-old mastodon skeleton up for auction on eBay. A ranch hand on the Fiddler family's property, which is east of Mount Shasta, found a tooth from the animal in 1997, according to the eBay item listing. Roger Fiddler then had a paleontologist come out to identify the tooth, and a partial excavation revealed a nearly complete skeleton (The animal is missing its tusks).

The mastodon has taken an unusual path since then. It spent about three years at the Oakland Museum of California before being placed in the tasting room of a wine bar, according to Reuters. Now it resides in the Fiddlers' garage, where it seems to have overstayed its welcome.

The Fiddlers have decided to part with the rare specimen. It was just taking up too much room, Nancy Fiddler told Reuters. That, and they wanted to be able to use their sauna, which has been housing some of the beast's bones for years.

[henebry]

Didn't sell.

Well, the auction's over and the skeleton didn't sell.

Good example of low start price leading to no sale.

[jenguevin]

Not over yet

For what it's worth, the auction ends on March 25.

[jtru007]

Great deal. It will sell easy!

Think about all the time and efforts it take to excavate this thing and you will realize its value. It will sell before it ends.