Notable auctions

• A "comfort hug", auctioned in April 2005 to promote love and good feelings. The auction received considerable media attention.
• In late 2005, a member offered a time-machine for sale through auction (or swap for "anti gravity machine"), with the highest bid reaching $300,000,000,001,999. The seller withdrew the auction shortly before its close-time. News of the auction reached some New Zealand newspapers, which ran a story on it. This auction used to hold the record for the highest number of questions asked and answered.
• In 2006 a user attempted to auction the Optus B1 satellite following a malfunction. The opening price started at NZ$200,000,000. TradeMe withdrew the auction after 231,908 page-views.
• In May 2006 a member tried to sell Australia, using humorous descriptions of the country. The auction drew over 100 questions, and had more than 11,000 views. The country achieved a bid of $200,045,400, with a reserve price of 50 cents. In the end however, TradeMe admins withdrew the auction. One News (a broadcast television programme) ran a report on this auction.

• Also in May 2006 a member tried to sell his leg — amputated a year earlier as a result of diabetes. TradeMe withdrew the auction within hours and swiftly added "Body Parts" to the "Prohibited Items" list.
• In June 2006 Wellington Hurricanes player Tana Umaga hit team-mate Chris Masoe with a Roxy handbag at the "Jolly Poacher" bar in Christchurch after Masoe got into an altercation with a patron. The owner of the bag auctioned it via TradeMe for $22,800, generating a large media-story and over 1 million page-views before the auction closed (see 2006 rugby union handbag controversy).
• In June 2006 Lisa Lewis streaked across the field at the All Blacks game against Ireland held at Waikato Stadium. Days later the bikini Lewis had worn ended up for auction. The winning bid of $4,010 later proved not genuine
• In October 2007 Lisa-Marie Corlet stumbled across a pebble with markings allegedly resembling the Virgin Mary. A first auction completed, but the bids later proved invalid. Corlet went on a nation-wide television-programme, Campbell Live, to announce she would not accept anything less than $78,662,500,000 NZD as she believes that someone would very much treasure the item. She presented herself as non-religious and offered this as the reason why she chose to onsell the pebble. Corlet's auction of the "Virgin Mary pebble" has proven to be one of the most highly viewed auctions on TradeMe, with over 100,000 views (so far). The current bid stands, as of October 28, 2007, at $31,600.50 NZD. Corlet believes more people will choose to bid near the time the auction draws to a close.
• In September 2008 a man attempted to sell a dolphin he accidentally caught while net fishing. This later turned out to be a hoax.
• In 17 November 2008 Lixtor attempted to auction their auction site following dispute with TradeMe over copyright-infringement allegations. The opening price started at NZ$100,000,000. TradeMe withdrew the auction after a few hours.
• 24 May 2009: An auction for a tractor with 20 acres of land (in Catlins, South Island) thrown in for free generated over 3.5 million views and over one thousand and five hundred questions. The winning bid of NZD250,000 by a Wellington man proved to be bogus. Trademe diplomatically claimed "bidder has been unable to secure lending finance from his bank" but still had his account suspended. The sellers are using other means to sell, and have made national and international news with their "spur of the moment" listing.
• June 2009: Mike Whittaker (mikew4) listed his old Kelvinator Washing Machine under the title 'Scary Washing Machine' due to its behaviour when washing. He created a fictional story about how it sucked his shoes, pants, iron and wife into a vortex, beyond which, there are dinosaurs. The auction has received over 800,000 views so far. The pictures he drew of the supposed dinosaurs are being sold as fundraisers for NZ charites. T-Shirt company 'MrVintage' has created its own Scary Washing Machine Range of mens and women's T-Shirts. The washing machine eventually sold for $5,160.

Note: Withdrawn auctions become unviewable after 60 days and bid histories after 45.