How much for that Kiddy Kar? These were the 10 most expensive State Fair auction items.

Thirteen items sold for at least $1,000 during the 11-day auction, which closed Tuesday.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
February 29, 2024 at 5:27PM
Kristy's "Kiddy" Kar sold for $2,550 during the Minnesota State Fair's surplus auction, which makes it the third most expensive item sold during the event. (Jason Mitchell)

A box of bison bones sold for $235. A rickshaw fetched $485. Those are just some of the strange and fascinating treasures the Minnesota State Fair auctioned off earlier this month from its overflowing storage spaces.

Officials put up nearly 400 listings. The items they auctioned off included everything from surplus office equipment to decommissioned rollercoaster carts and arcade games. Thirteen individual items sold for $1,000 or more, including a bright red, two-seat “Kiddy Kar” that doesn’t even run.

State Fair officials don’t yet have a tally for the total sale and may not for some time. Here are the 10 biggest sellers from the 11-day auction:

“State Fair” children’s pinball machine: $1,050

A small, ancient pinball machine with the words "State Fair" emblazoned across the top and a spinning wheel illustrated with pictures of a baby, a weightlifter, a cowboy, a farmer and two other figures.
This pinball machine was one of 13 items that fetched more than $1,000 at auction. (Jason Mitchell)

This ancient pinball machine just barely edged out the three items that sold for exactly $1,000 to snag the No. 10 spot on this list. Among those less-valuable lots: The enormous 3D aerial map of the entire fairgrounds that we featured last week.

Trapeze flyers costume: $1,100

Has this costume been shot out of a cannon? Possibly. (Jason Mitchell)

This costume was donated by one of the Zacchini brothers, the daredevils who shot themselves out of cannons and signed a piece of one that also made it to auction. If you look closely at this photo, you might also catch sight of the most expensive item on the list. It’s like a Marvel movie Easter egg, but Minnesotan!

Wooden Minnesota State Fair artwork sign: $1,100

In your knotty-pine family room, this sign would fit right in. (Jason Mitchell)

If you catch sight of this sign in your buddy’s rumpus room, you’ll know exactly how much he paid for it.

Coin-operated crane game: $1,220

Bonus: The crane game is on wheels so you can move it to the living room for game night. (Jason Mitchell)

Crane games are difficult to win as it is. Just imagine Woody and Buzz trying to worm their way out of this one.

Three-door refrigerator on wheels: $1,350

There was a fridge/freezer section in the auction, with equipment of various vintages. (Jason Mitchell)

A number of the items up for auction were simply excess old equipment that State Fair officials didn’t know how to get rid of. This wasn’t the only industrial refrigerator on sale. There were also pallets upon pallets of styrofoam cups up for auction.

Five stock car racing photos: $1,600

These could make a nice gift for your mechanic next Christmas. (Jason Mitchell)

There was apparently quite an appetite for photos of old stock car races during the state fair auction. (You’ll see what I mean in a second.)

A set of two framed photos: $1,625

Or these. (Jason Mitchell)

Yes, you did that math right. Vintage stock car racing photos fetched more than $3,200 combined at the Minnesota State Fair auction.

Kristy’s “Kiddy Kar:” $2,550

And if the shop can get this kar kranked up again, kouldn't they just keep it? (Jason Mitchell)

Someone has obviously been working at a convenience store and managed to save up a whole lotta money.

Carousel display in a wooden box: $2,600

A miniature carousel inside of a glass-paned box.
Thirteen items sold for $1,000 or more during the Minnesota State Fair's 11-day auction. (Jason Mitchell)

The buyer can recreate some of the best carousel-themed scenes we’ve seen on movies and TV shows lately, from the sweet and playful date at a dilapidated mall in “The Last of Us” to the introspective dialogue on the diaspora and what could have been in “Past Lives.”

Metal “Jefferson Highway” sign: $2,600

This could hang right near your "440 miles to Wall Drug" sign. (Jason Mitchell)

Eagle-eyed readers could catch a glimpse of this sign as it was hidden among some of the trapeze costumes listed above. The Jefferson Highway once stretched from New Orleans to Winnipeg. You can still find a part of the old route in Osseo.

about the writer

about the writer

Eder Campuzano

Reporter

Eder Campuzano is a general assignment reporter for the Minnesota Star Tribune and lead writer of the Essential Minnesota newsletter.

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