18 seconds ago 2009-11-23T17:45:02-08:00
BEIJING (AFP) – A Chinese collector of Olympic memorabilia will put some of his mementos on the auction block later this month, including a batch of 5,000 condoms given to competitors at the 2008 Beijing Games.
The items -- labelled with the Olympic movement's "faster, higher, stronger" motto -- are left-overs from the 100,000 condoms distributed for free to athletes at the Beijing Olympic Village, the state China Daily said Thursday.
The entire lot of 5,000 must be purchased by one buyer at the "Exceptional Auction of China Sport Collection" on November 29, with the bidding to begin at 5,000 yuan (730 dollars), or one yuan per condom.
"Although anyone married should be interested for their practical use, some people will be too shy to bid for the condoms," the paper quoted auctioneer Guo Lei as saying.
Other items up for sale include a torch autographed by Brazilian football legend Pele and a medicine case from the 1936 Games.
