GSA auctions $17.6 million worth of surplus goods online

A 3-carat diamond ring, a Coast Guard cutter and a 1979 Bentley Rolls-Royce were some of the more unusual surplus items the General Services Administration’s auction Web site sold since the agency introduced the service a year ago. In all, GSAAuctions, at , dealt more than $17.6 million worth of federal surplus items. Most agencies, however, auctioned off more ordinary items, such as office furniture, clothing and vehicles.The Web site completed 10,751 auctions and has more than 36,700 registered users. GSA and the agency submitting the property split the proceeds from the auction. Before going online, GSA relied on traditional auctions to sell surplus property.