A badly taxidermied, googly-eyed “stuffed fox” sold at an antiques fair for almost $120,000 after being identified as a Tasmanian tiger. The items’ unusual appearance—including prominent glassy eyes—drew attention before and during the sale.
According to the reports, the seller had set an auction reserve of about $50, expecting little interest. Instead, the lot attracts bids far above expectations. All outlets describe the seller’s surprise at the final hammer price, which is reported consistently across the coverage.
The articles place the identification as the key context for the sale: the object is not treated as an ordinary novelty stuffed animal, but as a rare Tasmanian tiger specimen. While the outlets largely agree on the outcome and price, they focus on different storytelling emphasis around the item’s “holy grail” status and the mismatch between its poor condition and its high value.
