Delaware Surf Fishing Numbered Tag Online Auction Update

The online auction started today for the state parks’ new Delaware Surf Fishing numbered tags.   I can’t help but smile every time I write that … anyway.  The online auction started at 9 AM this morning and several tags were bid on immediately.  The first online auction will end on November 1st at 7 PM.  Opening bids start at $250.  As of right now tag number 9 is sitting at $2300, tag number 15 is at $1100, all other tags up for auction have topped $500.  That is impressive for just a surf fishing tag.  The numbers being bid on for the first online auction are the following … 9, 15, 19, 30, 40, 47, 55, 72, 80, 201, 222, 250, 302, 410, 450.   I spoke with Ray Bivens Director of Delaware State Parks this afternoon and asked him why these specific numbers?  “The advice we were given was that numbers ending in 0, or 5’s will be most popular.  Doubles such as 55 are highly desirable.   Six of the plates are available to out of state bidders, 201 will be the lowest number allowed to be owned by non residents.  The auction included two plates which are popular area codes, 302 for Delaware and 410 for Maryland.  Many popular fire companies’ numbers were included in this auction … 40-Bowers, 72 Bridgeville, and 80 Indian River.”   I remember several months ago I was in a meeting with Ray Bivens and he mentioned the numbered tags and I told him when I did my novelty tags, certain numbers sold like wildfire.  I could have sold NASCAR numbers fifty times over in an hour.

There will be an online auction every two weeks until the Christmas season.  The next online auction will feature any double numbers that have not already been auctioned off.  The live auction on October 31st at the Boo-BBQ event will have sixteen tags to bid on, the numbers available will be …    2, 3, 8, 14, 20, 35, 50, 70, 87, 90, 100, 300, and 350.  There will be three other plates auctioned off that day, you have to pay attention to this because it could be a tad confusing.  The first “lot” of tags that you can bid on will be number 31 to 98, excluding numbers …   35, 40, 50, 70, 72, 77, 80, 90.  Now here is how this will work, this is a choice of tag number auction for residents only.  If you win the auction, you will have the choice of any tag in that lot, except the excluded numbers.  The next auctioned lot will be for a choice of number auction, and those tag numbers will be …   102-299, excluding 175, 201, 202, 250.  Remember you must be a resident to pick a number under 200, so if you win this auction, and are not a resident, you will have to choose a number above 200 in that lot.  The third choice auction will be numbers … 301-399, excluding 302, 333, 350.  If you win that auction you will have your choice of any number in that lot.  I know that all sounds confusing but that is how things are done at auctions with lots.

Tag number 2 will be the lowest number sold in 2015, tag number 1 will not sell until a live auction in 2016.  Many popular volunteer fire company numbers will be available throughout the auctions …  50 Harrington, 70 Bethany Beach, 87 Seaford, 90 Roxanna.  The number 3 is very popular with NASCAR fans, I learned that in ten minutes when I did the DSF vanity tags, NASCAR numbers went in thirty minutes.  We will keep you updated before any online auction is about to happen and the details for that auction.   Many have asked what about using their old tags for their surf fishing permit.   Starting in 2016 your surf permit sticker must be attached to either the free blue and white plate or the new low digit tag, however folks can display other old tags just not put their sticker for the permit on them.

Fish On!!

Rich King