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: