While the bidding for Peter Eastgate’s 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event bracelet is hitting the homestretch, another former bracelet winner’s trophy has made its way to the auction block.
On Sunday, an eBay auction began for the 1999 WSOP bracelet won by Paul “Eskimo” Clark in a $1,500 Razz event. The bracelet is one of three that the veteran poker player has won, but it appears from the auction information that Clark is not the one who is selling the priceless memento. A quick look at the seller, “anarcnub,” reveals that the person or organization putting the bracelet up for auction is located in Ireland, meaning that Clark, who calls Las Vegas home, may have sold the bracelet to someone else already.
The 1999 bracelet is devoid of the diamond encrusted versions that we see for WSOP bracelets nowadays. At that time, the bracelets were simply carved with the words “World Series of Poker” and the year. The bracelet is 117.1 grams of gold, which by current standards of roughly $44.20 per gram would mean its melted down price would come to slightly over $5,175.
The auction is in its early stages, with over eight days left to go. The bidding for the 1999 WSOP bracelet started at $1,000 and, at press time, had received action from two bidders and generated six bids. The current price is $2,076.39, but there is a reserve on the item. This means that, unless the auction reaches a certain unstated price, the bracelet would be removed from sale and stay with its current owner. At the moment, the reserve has not been met.
The TwoPlusTwo forums have been abuzz about yet another WSOP bracelet hitting the auction block. Some have posted that Clark’s bracelet looks less than impressive considering what it was awarded for and wonder about the authenticity of the item. Poster “Treehorn” commented in one of the threads generated about the sale, “Those bracelets really look tacky and cheap.” Poster “TB303” agreed by adding, “Did they let him engrave it himself?” The auction for Clark’s bracelet will end on December 1st.
On the other end of the spectrum, Eastgate’s bracelet from his victory in the Main Event in 2008 ends on the morning of Thanksgiving. Eastgate, who stated earlier this year that he was leaving the tournament poker scene, put his Main Event bracelet on eBay, with the proceeds from the sale benefiting UNICEF. Over the past week, the action on the item has soared into the stratosphere as bidders look to capture another priceless poker item.
As of today, the auction is sitting at a whopping $100,100, with 87 bids received on Eastgate’s bracelet. Over 30 different bidders have been in action on the item, including poker pro Antanas “Tony G” Guoga. The PartyPoker sponsored pro has stated that he is looking to win the ongoing eBay battle for the bracelet and have it made into a dog collar for his German Shepherd, Zasko. In his latest blog, Guoga states, “I may not appear to be there (monitoring the bidding on eBay) but there is always a presence… a guiding hand.”
Earlier this year, a Plano pawn shop put six-time WSOP bracelet winner T.J. Cloutier’s 2005 $5,000 No Limit Hold’em bracelet up for sale, getting $4,000 for it from the online poker room Cake Poker. The poker room then gave it back to Cloutier, something that is unlikely to happen with either Eastgate’s and Clark’s poker trophies.
