National Auctioneers Day (April 20th, 2023)
Going once…going twice… SOLD to the highest bidder! And when celebrating National Auctioneers Day, everyone can be a winner.
History of National Auctioneers Day
Some of the planet’s biggest personalities, loudest voices, and quickest talkers are celebrated on National Auctioneers Day. It’s a time to remember that auctioneering is one of the world’s most ancient professions, having begun more than 2,000 years ago.
In fact, the very first auction was held about 500 B.C. in Babylon. The late 17th century saw the establishment of the world’s oldest, still-practicing auction house, Stockholm’s Auktionsverk. The first President of the United States, George Washington, even had a reputation as being a big fan of scoring himself a hot deal via the mallet.
Since the 1950s, the humble auction has expanded to include a plethora of financial institutions and marketplaces. These days, of course, there’s eBay which runs the concept of a virtual auction but, sadly, does not employ an auctioneer to narrate the process.
National Auctioneers Day was established in 1996 by the National Auctioneers Association and it has been celebrated each year ever since. To celebrate the day, many auctioneers spend their time working as volunteers, often in local communities. They can often be seen running charity events, using their skills and time to fundraise, and much more. Some even hold auctions in which the auctioneers themselves are put up for sale.
National Auctioneers Day is a delightful time to show appreciation for and celebrate that auctioneer in your life!
How to Celebrate National Auctioneers Day
National Auctioneers Day offers a fun array of ideas for observing and celebrating the day. Make plans to enjoy the day in some of these ways:
Show Appreciation for an Auctioneer
Those folks who happen to have an auctioneer in their life have a super simple opportunity to celebrate National Auctioneers Day. Simply tell that auctioneer how great they are perhaps by giving or mailing them a card, surprising them with their favorite cup of coffee or offering them a little gift. And don’t forget to thank them by giving them a ‘shout-out’ with a social media post to tell the world how unique they are.
The practice of auctioneering seems to be a waning field in this modern age, so it’s especially important to tell auctioneers how much they are appreciated and how important their craft really is to the world!
Learn Interesting Facts About Auctions
While many people have either seen auctioneers on television or in person, they don’t always know much about the practice and skill that it takes to hold this kind of a position, unless they know one personally. The observance of National Auctioneers Day is the perfect time to learn a bit more about this niche craft.
Here are some bits of trivia about auctions:
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The word “auction” comes from the Latin word “auctus”, which is the word for something that is increasing. This makes perfect sense because the prices at an auction increase as bidders are pitted against one another.
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Though many auctioneers use a small gavel to start and end an auction, ancient auctioneers used to stab their spears into the ground.
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The first auction school in the United States was founded in 1906 in the town of Davenport, Iowa, and was called the Jones National School of Auctioneering and Oratory.
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The first nation to require a license to become an auctioneer was Rome – many centuries ago, when Rome was its own country before its disastrous fall.
Participate in an Auction Event for Charity
The National Auctioneers Foundation holds an annual drive on National Auctioneers Day to raise money to provide scholarships for young students to further their Education. This would be a great time to make a donation that will benefit someone in need, or bid on some items that are raising money for non-profit organizations.
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