I was born in New York; I have visited the Museum of the City of New York on occasion. Of interest to this group is that they deaccessioned a horse car built in 1856 to the Shore Line Trolley Museum, a few years ago. You should not be surprised that other items are going out of the collections.

I just hope it goes to a place with public displays; like the gold spikes at the Stanford Museum or the California State Railroad Museum spikes are!

Ted Miles, retired but still interested

Two hours and counting......

Maybe one of y'all has more patience than I do, or a better browser instantiation.

Go here:

https://www.christies.com/anonymous-live-viewing?sc_lang=en&saleid=29627&Page=SaleRegistration&action=saleregistration_redesign&pageTo=lotdetails

where you have the clear option to 'view the auction without bidding/as a spectator'. When I attempt to click on this, I get a box saying 'agree to the terms'... which is just a modal dialog and doesn't have an actual link to accept the terms, or view them, or know where to go to accept them so the message won't display.

You'll be able to get the hammer price and the buyer's/seller's premium information from that, plus a sense of how the bidding was conducted.

ONE MILLION, EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

Plus premium!

If I run the math through Christie's officially stated premium rates, the total is $2,160,000--which Christie's is currently stating (or rounding up) to "$2,200,000" on the website for the auction.

Plus sales tax where applicable.

$2.2 million. For a spike. That gives me an idea for a fundraiser….