Toenail offered for charity auction

BY A TIME: The charity raising toenail on TradeMe.

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There is no tip-toeing around by a group of Taranaki Salvation Army parishioners who are raising funds for their local foodbank – they're auctioning a toenail that has been grown and cultivated for a year.

The toenail, still attached to the foot and growing, has so far reached a top bid of $7.50 – almost enough for two cups of coffee.

The proceeds will be donated to the Hawera Salvation Army's foodbank.

The auction webpage, on TradeMe, describes the nail as a "good honest Kiwi male nail".

"Offered here for auction is your chance to own 1 only prime porcellus carnivarous keratin (middle toe nail) that has been carefully groomed for one year for you!"

The winning bidder has been promised a 12mm long of prime nail, neutral coloured no artificial additives, no steroids taken by the donor and freepost anywhere in New Zealand.

Eight bids have so far been placed on the unusual item.

Hawera Salvation Army head, Captain Joe Serevi was "not over the moon" with the auction.

He was told about it by a group of his parishioners on Sunday.

"I thought `Oh, glory'. I'm not really keen on the toenail."

However, Mr Serevi said it was honourable the group wanted to contribute to the charity.

A person responding to the sale on the website asked how long the nail would be when it was cut off.

"As I need more millimetres of nail than you can currently supply."

The seller said the nail was not expected to grow much more by the end of the auction, which closes on Monday at 8.30pm, but he did offer to send the person further clippings each week.

Another mused "I've heard of snail mail, but male nail!? I'm going pale!! I wonder what it'll retail for?"

- NZPA