He let the auction house do the hype work. By the time the gavel fell, the "heavy metal box" that cost him fifty bucks sold to a university archive for $14,000.
His latest mark was a listing for a "Heavy Metal Box - $50." The photo was blurry, taken in a dimly lit garage. To most, it looked like a rusted toolbox. To Elias, the hinges and the specific patina on the latch shouted 19th-century seafaring chest . sneaky buy and sell
The "sell" required more finesse. You don't put history on Facebook. He let the auction house do the hype work