Howe medals home after $360,000 bid | Warwick News | Local News in Warwick

By GEORGIA DONOVAN

A MYSTERY Warwick bidder claimed Jackie Howe's medals for $360,000 in an "emotional" pledge to the champion shearer at a Melbourne auction last night.

Five bidders hotly contested Howe's medals and fob watch, which Sotheby's expected would reach between $25,000 and $35,000, when they went under the hammer at 7.30pm in a packed auction room.

However late last night, the bidder, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed to the Daily News he was "weak at the knees" after his phone bid of $360,000 was successful.

He said he called in to the auction expecting a price between $70,000 and $80,000, but was opposed by an extremely determined contender after that price was reached.

"There was one obviously who really wanted them. They were very determined," he said.

"There's nothing similar you could benchmark the medals against. This is totally an emotional thing and they must've believed this was extraordinarily important. They're an icon, there is just one Jackie Howe and it's very nice to secure it for the district."

The successful buyer will explore several options to put the medals on display in Warwick but had not made a decision on a location last night.

"It will be a matter of talking to a number of people to the best location where they can be displayed in the Warwick area," he said.

"It would be very nice to keep these medals in the public domain because it's such a unique achievement and one that every Australian should be proud of."

A contingent from The Shear Outback Museum in Hay, NSW, attended the auction with their own bid of $100,000 raised through a national pledge.

A Sotheby's spokeswoman said the medals stirred national interest with bids from across the country.