The Great Delray Beach Time-Traveling Gold Auction

Delray Beach was no stranger to strange events—mermaids at open houses, talking pelicans running for city council, and once, an old man who tried to pay for his coffee with a Roman denarius. But nothing compared to the Great Time-Traveling Gold Auction.

It all started when gold buyers across town received a mysterious invitation. No return address, no sender—just a note that read:

"Exclusive auction. Rarest gold in history. Come alone. And bring snacks."

The premium estate buyers of Delray, always intrigued by mystery (and snacks), arrived at the designated location—a suspiciously old mansion that wasn’t there yesterday.

Inside, a man in Victorian-era clothing adjusted his pocket watch and addressed the guests. “Welcome, esteemed estate buyers. Tonight, we present gold from across time! Every era, every civilization! And yes, all of it is legally acquired… probably.”

A murmur went through the crowd. Could this be a scam? A marketing stunt? Or… real time travel?

The first item was a simple gold ring. “This,” the auctioneer announced, “belonged to Cleopatra’s personal crocodile trainer.”

A man in the back gasped. “I need that.”

Bidding was intense, with diamond buyers and historians fighting over artifacts that shouldn't exist.

Then came the most valuable item of the night—a solid gold typewriter, allegedly owned by a time traveler.

“This device,” the auctioneer explained, “was found in a 1920s speakeasy, with an instruction manual from 2097. No one knows how it got there. The keys are made of diamond, the frame is solid gold, and according to legend, if you type your name on it… you disappear.”

The room fell silent.

Finally, Max Pumpernickel, the boldest gold buyer, stepped forward. “I’ll test it.”

Everyone gasped.

With dramatic flair, he typed:

M-A-X P-U-M-P-E-R-N-I-C-K-E-L

The moment he hit the last key—

BOOM.

A blinding flash of light. A gust of wind. A faint smell of cinnamon.

When the smoke cleared… Max was gone.

Silence. Then, the auctioneer shrugged. “Sold to the man who no longer exists! Next item!”

And just like that, the bidding resumed.

Nobody ever saw Max again—except one year later, when a new invitation arrived. This time, it was written on gold-leafed parchment.

"Exclusive auction. Rarest gold in history. Come alone. Max says hi."