Still warm from John Key’s lips and put up for sale on TradeMe, a stolen coffee cup used by the Prime Minister has revealed an unfortunate truth about our nation’s leader—he just isn’t worth that much.
Weir House resident Jackson Freeman swiped the cup as a “chance for prosperity” after Key visited his hostel for an early morning student leadership meeting.
The incident was reported by several national news sources, and was even picked up by the Sydney Morning Herald.
While there were multiple witty puns posted on the auction page, such as “Is that political dribble in the bottom?”, there was a distinct lack of monetary interest. One bid of $5000 was retracted as a joke, and the auction closed on Tuesday with the successful bidder getting the cup for a steal at just $20.
However, Weir House is now demanding Freeman pay for the ‘stolen’ whiteware, apparently worth $23.95, including tax of $2.66. Freeman has re-listed the cup in an effort to raise enough to pay back the invoice, which he feels is overpriced for a standard hostel mug.
UPDATE ONE: Salient has been informed that the invoice Freeman received was intended as a joke. We are currently trying to track down Freeman for comment.
UPDATE TWO: Jackson Freeman has told Salient that Weir House Head of Hall Simon Roughton informed him the invoice was a joke while he was at the Weir House Ball on Saturday—after Salient went to print.
“Unfortunately for him, he’d assumed I knew it was a joke,” Freeman says.
Freeman says the invoice “seemed very serious”.
“I figure that was the point.”