Paperclip to House: in 14 Trades

The website one red paperclip was created by Kyle MacDonald, a Canadian blogger who bartered his way from a single paperclip to a house in a series of trades spanning almost one year.

The Progress:

• Traded the paperclip for a fish-shaped pen. (Vancouver)
• Traded the pen the same day for a hand-sculpted doorknob from Seattle, Washington, which he nicknamed "Knob-T".
• Traded the Knob-T for a Coleman camp stove (with fuel). (Amherst, Massachusetts)
• Traded the camp stove for a Honda generator, from a U.S. Marine.
• Made a second (and successful) attempt (after having the generator confiscated by the New York City Fire Department) in Maspeth, Queens, to trade the generator for an "instant party": an empty keg, an IOU for filling the keg with the beer of the holder's choice, and a neon Budweiser sign.
• Traded the "instant party" to Quebec comedian and radio personality Michel Barrette for a Ski-doo snowmobile.
• Traded the snowmobile for a two-person trip to Yahk, British Columbia, in February 2006.
• The second person on the trip to Yahk traded Kyle a cube van for the privilege.
• Traded the cube van for a recording contract with Metal Works in Toronto, Canada.
• Traded the recording contract to Jody Gnant for a year's rent in Phoenix, Arizona.
• Traded the one year's rent in Phoenix, Arizona, for one afternoon with Alice Cooper
• Traded the one afternoon with Alice Cooper for a KISS motorized snow globe
• Traded the KISS motorized snow globe to Corbin Bernsen for a role in the film Donna on Demand.
• Traded the movie role for a two-story farmhouse in Kipling, Saskatchewan.

Kevin also wrote a book about his experience.  Purchase it below at Amazon.com: