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We previously wrote about this story here: https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2018/08/29/one-bid-and-200-other-bidders-stand-in-silence/. In that treatise, we suggested that this could be a fake story — in other words, possibly nonsense.

My good friend Jason Smith also wrote about this, concluding this was a made-up story: https://blog.dreamdirt.com/farmland-auctions/our-response-to-the-viral-story-farmers-stay-silent-during-auctions-so-young-man-can-win-the-bid-on-his-long-lost-family-farm.

Today, we confirm this story is indeed rubbish. Here’s why; of the numerous stories all over the Internet about this — we would suggest you ask yourself:

      1. David who? Who is his father?
      2. Who was the auctioneer?
      3. This took place in England or Nebraska? That above picture is from where?
      4. Where exactly was this? Address? Near what city? Some are suggesting “Nebraska, USA?”
      5. David remarks, “I’ve had two profoundly humbling days in my life … the first was the day my son was born. The second was that unforgettable day at the auction house.” Auction house? What auction house?
      6. The “room” was silent? What room?
      7. The auctioneer only asked for another bid three times?
      8. An ancestor (dead?) had sold off this 80 acre farm to some other relative? Really?
      9. Who was the seller? Who was the ancestor?
      10. Why is the sale price a mystery?
      11. 200 farmers all agreed to not bid? Not even one disagreed?
      12. 80 acres? David spent decades building his business on 80 acres?

It appears to us that nobody has evidence of any marketing the auctioneer placed, nor any recorded sales price, nor a location, nor any pictures of anybody at an auction house (and rather out in the middle of a field) nor any further identities of any of the other parties.

This story is typical of any number of fictitious tales scant of details. We wrote about auctioneers telling stories here: https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2014/01/26/auctioneer-stories/. This story fits perfectly with one of our “typical” scenarios.

Here’s the bottom line: There is no “David,” there is no such “80 acres,” no such “auction” nor “auctioneer” and this didn’t happen. It’s a made-up story.

Mike Brandly, Auctioneer, CAI, CAS, AARE has been an auctioneer and certified appraiser for over 30 years. His company’s auctions are located at: Mike Brandly, Auctioneer, RES Auction Services and Goodwill Columbus Car Auction. He serves as Distinguished Faculty at Hondros College, Executive Director of The Ohio Auction School, an Instructor at the National Auctioneers Association’s Designation Academy and America’s Auction Academy. He is faculty at the Certified Auctioneers Institute held at Indiana University and is approved by the The Supreme Court of Ohio for attorney education.