Rossi B3 (184) Auction to Benefit Coombs Memorial Fund (ended)

I recently had a letter to the editor accepted for publication in the December issue of Skiing Magazine (see this thread). Since it was chosen as letter of the month, I also won a pair of skis. I am putting these skis up for auction and will donate all proceeds to the Doug Coombs Memorial Fund (www.dougcoombsmemorialfund.com)

The skis are a pair of Skiing's custom Rossignol B3 skis (184 cm). The topsheet on these is unique and is the Skiing Magazine "Fluff" topsheet (Fluff is the name of the Letters to the Editor Department at Skiing).

Skiing Magazine has agreed to hold the skis and will directly ship them to the winner of this auction upon my notification. I would like to start out bidding at a very low-end price of $350. As this is for a good cause I certainly hope this will be bid up to a more reasonable price (list price is $850 and retail over $700). Let's go with a minimum increment of $5. If no one bids the minimum I will try to sell them elsewhere.

The auction will extend until Nov. 12, 8:00 pm EST. I'm keeping it open this long to give plenty of time for links to this auction to be put up at Skinet.com (and I'll get a signon and post one at TGR as well).

I hope some of you will have a need/desire for these skis and assist me in contributing to a worthy cause by generously bidding on these.

Thanks, Si

Picture

I will gladly bid $350 (to help a good cause)!

$400

Hey Fox, the bid increment was $5 not $50 : - THANKS

Lurking Bear, thanks for bidding so readily to get the ball rolling!

Si, I know, but it's a good cause, so I thought a bit more might be in order!

$425 just for the Fluff.

The Fluff editor, Scott Gornall was nice enough to send me a picture of the skis:

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2100583775

$450

any chance of this being tax deductable? and who can i contact regarding shipping to AUS or NZ which ever is easier?

I also received a question about shipment to GB and Europe. I sent an email to the Skiing editor but haven't heard back. I will call tomorrow. In terms of a tax deduction, I don't think so. I plan on having the winner paypal the winning bid amount to me and then donating the entire amount to the fund.

I don't think it is tax deductable IF you are receiving something in return for your donation. I am not totally sure of this though.

I was going to answer from memory, but to avoid sticking my foot in my mouth I looked it up: From the IRS (emphasis added)

Topic 506 - Contributions

Charitable contributions are deductible only if you itemize deductions on Form 1040, Schedule A (PDF).
To be deductible, charitable contributions must be made to qualified organizations. Qualified organizations include, but are not limited to, Federal, state, and local governments and organizations organized and operated only for charitable, religious, educational, scientific, or literary purposes, or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals. Organizations can tell you if they are qualified and if donations to them are deductible.

If your contribution entitles you to merchandise, goods, or services, including admission to a charity ball, banquet, theatrical performance, or sporting event, you can deduct only the amount that exceeds the fair market value of the benefit received.

In this case it wouldn't be deductable. The money is going to a fund that does not qualify as a charitable organization.

no matter as this is a very good cause. Of course, I don't know how tax deductions apply down under in Australia. Only you would know that.

$460

A small increment to keep this at the top of the page!

Rev: Oops, I didn't see this was a sticky, as I got here from another link.

Thanks SkiMerlin. There is no such thing as a small increment. Every increment helps keep this alive and will result in a bigger contribution to the fund.

thanks, will have to look into that. Any news on shipping international yet?

Skiing magazine has put up a nice blurb on their website (www.skinet.com) about the auction so hopefully we'll see a few new visitors to Epic to take a look at the auction. The title of the article is "Nine of a Kind"

I just heard back from the Skiing editor and they would like to limit shipping to the U.S. for logistic reasons. I'm sorry that we can't accommodate our overseas friends. However, I could probably find an EpicSki member to hold them for you if you plan on visiting somehwere in the U.S. to ski this year.

If someone outside the US wins them (and it's not me), and they live in Europe, I will sort out the shipping costs.

Oh, and $475.

No one going to outbid me?

The auction hasn't ended yet. jeez are you impatient!:
$485.00

I too was suprised there has not been more activity. Maybe everyone is just "lying in the weeds" waiting to bid?

Anyhow, I'll make it an even $500

Hopefully, there will be lots of bidding near the auction deadline. Even if not, we have already guaranteed a sizable contribution to a worthy cause. I want to thank everyone who is participating in this auction, especially Fox who has spurred this on.

$525. That's my max.

This issue of Skiing should be out soon, shouldn't it?
I'm looking forward to it!

$540 for the cause.

I'm in it

I'll go for $555

Very Generous! Keep 'em coming!

One more day to go!

Little less than 2.5 hours left! Sniper, start loading the guns and aiming

df

565

Congratulations seselonick on winning the auction! I will pm and email you to work out payment and shipment.

Thanks to everyone for participating and making this such a success.

Si