Rare military auction generates €740,500 in Tampere, Finland

A rare military auction took place yesterday in Tampere, Finland, offering items such as tanks, field guns, and cannons. The last time tanks were auctioned was in 2007. The event, organized by defense company Millog, marked the conclusion of an inventory maintained for potential exchanges with foreign military museums, according to senior expert Esa Muikku, who noted there were no further trades to be made.

The auction proved to be successful, generating a total of €740,500. Before the event began, Muikku mentioned that bidding would likely start in the low thousands. The highest bid was for a Comet tank, which sold for €141,000.

The auction attracted 17 bidders and their assistants, including individuals and representatives from various organizations and museums. Participants included five from Finland and twelve from countries like Poland, England, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic. Among the attendees was Mika Tanner, who represented Mil-Safarit, a company specializing in military vehicle events.

Tanner purchased a tank for €50,000, which will be transported to his hometown of Pornaisten via truck, as these vehicles cannot legally drive on public roads, even if functional. Prior to transport, the tank’s weaponry must be deactivated. Tanner expressed no surprise at the high prices, indicating a threshold of around €100,000 for such vehicles, as prices escalated with decreasing availability. In total, the auction featured 40 items, including nine tanks.