Stichting Zeehondencentrum Pieterburen is auctioning tiles from the old rehabilitation pools, and they are proving popular even with Japanese fans. Bids on the 45 tiles have already risen to sometimes over 300 euros apiece within a day.
The tiles come from the former pools for sick and injured seals in the rehabilitation center. These have been empty since April. The seal rehabilitation center then moved from Pieterburen to Lauwersoog.
The tiles are especially popular because of the striking scratches and other damage. “These scratches are caused by seals scraping along them or pushing off against them with their flippers,” a spokesperson for the rehabilitation center told NU.nl.
The first day of the auction is a success, says the spokesperson. “The highest bid is already above 300 euros for a tile. All bids are already above 100 euros.”
The auction is taking place in honor of the beginning of Japanese interest in the seals, exactly one year ago. “At its peak, more than thirty thousand people in Japan were watching our livestream at the same time,” the spokesperson says. “They were fascinated by everything they saw. When the pool was empty, the chat often talked about the tiles on the bottom.”
The seals are popular with Japanese people because they look a bit like a tea leaf floating upright in tea when they hang upright in the water. That symbolizes happiness in Japan, communication manager Marco Boshoven of the seal rehabilitation center previously told NU.nl.
The entire proceeds of the auction will go to the care of the seals.