State surplus auction to be held Saturday; preview day Friday

A thirty-foot trailer is one of the unique items up for auction this Saturday.

A thirty-foot trailer is one of the unique items up for auction this Saturday. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Tractors and emergency vehicles are some of the items up for auction this weekend.

Tractors and emergency vehicles are some of the items up for auction this weekend. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

There is a food stand from JR’s Chicken for bidders at the State Auction held this Saturday.

There is a food stand from JR’s Chicken for bidders at the State Auction held this Saturday. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Monitor staff

Published: 05-15-2024 3:34 PM

The twice-annual auction of surplus government property returns Saturday at White Farm in Concord, both for those who are bidding and those who are just watching.

“People seem to enjoy watching the plow trucks get bid on for whatever reason. … There’s always a big crowd over there watching even if they’re not buying,” said Army Farnam, administrator for the state Department of Administrative Services.

JR’s Chicken will be selling “typical fair food,” Farnam said. “We’ll have a picnic area set up … so people can sit and watch the action.”

The auction, held each spring and fall, sells hundreds of used or unneeded items from state and municipal governments. Items range from crossbows to kayaks, filing cabinets to light towers, signboards to snowmobiles. The bulk of the sale involves large vehicles, from cars and pickup trucks to construction vehicles as large as front-end loaders.

More than 100 vehicles will be for sale this year, a large number from the Department of Safety, which has turned over a portion of its fleet.

Registration for the auction takes place Friday, May 17, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., or from 7 a.m. on auction day, Saturday, May 19. Equipment can be previewed at the 144 Clinton St. property from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday.

The auction is run by JSJ Auctions. For details and a catalog, see https://jsjauctions.com/listings/save-the-date-nh-state-surplus-auction/

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