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RetailU.S. Embassy

Need 1,200 Rolls of Toilet Paper? U.S. Embassies Around the World Are Auctioning Off Seriously Bizarre Items

By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
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By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 26, 2018, 6:54 AM ET

Out of toilet paper but looking for something a little more, ‘special’ than Charmin from your local supermarket?

Look no further than the U.S. Embassy’s auction in London.

Or maybe you need a lawnmower, a Stairmaster, or a full dining room or living room set?

There is a U.S. Embassy somewhere that can help you cover those needs too.

In its second auction in as many months, the U.S. Embassy in London will be selling a range of surplus items via auction, starting on Monday, July 30, and running until Wednesday, August 8.

The items range from 1,200 rolls of toilet paper, starting at £100 ($131) and 756 rolls of paper towel for £100 ($131), to a camera and bag listed as scrap for £1 ($1.30) and a used Volvo, with the starting price of £1,800 ($2,366).

But London isn’t the only city selling off a flurry of odd items. U.S. Embassies in nearly a dozen cities are preparing for upcoming auctions, and there are two currently underway in Albania and Macedonia.

An auction to be held in Stockholm, Sweden at the end of August has the biggest lot, with 67 items being sold, ranging from bed frames and bedroom furniture to a chandelier and speakers.

But the strangest auction of all? Probably the one being held in Tirana, Albania, which has listed 11 generators, three cars, tires, and a forklift for sale.

While the items might be surplus, the government clearly does not want these items on their hands longer than necessary. According to the online auction page, buyers must pick up their items within a “scheduled timeframe” or else they will be disposed of with “no possibility for their retrieval.”

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By Natasha Bach
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