Going, Going, Gone

Originally Aired: November 23, 1950 Suspense #404, "Going, Going, Gone," finds married couple Wally and Jan Pindell caught up in an increasingly dangerous situation after a routine auction visit turns extraordinary. When Jan insists on bidding for a mysteriously sealed old trunk, Wally reluctantly agrees, thinking it's just another impulse purchase. They secure it for three dollars, but immediately a frantic latecomer offers two hundred dollars for it. The auction house even tries to substitute a different trunk, fueling Jan's suspicion that their purchase contains something valuable. Back home, the couple opens the trunk to find what appears to be costume jewelry buried beneath old rags and newspapers. When Wally performs the classic glass-scratch test to prove the gems are fake, he discovers the shocking truth: the jewels are real, worth millions. As they try to process their incredible fortune, reality intrudes. Someone knocks at their door. After hastily hiding the trunk in their bedroom, they open it to find a man named Anatole Minchie, who politely introduces himself and makes clear he knows exactly what they bought at the auction.