If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that you collect stuff and that you possibly have a fair amount of your living spaces overtaken with objects that inspire or act as tokens of reminiscence. Sure, the situation might be marginally impractical – but I’d guess that it’s not nearly as impractical as unexpectedly winning a working, full-scale custom Agusta Batman motorcycle from Hershey’s worth approximately $35,000. No one wins those huge prize giveaways, right? It’s all dummy prizes and about a million 25-cents-off-your-next-purchase-of-some-lotion-you-don’t-even-use coupons.
Not so for 54 year old Sidney Dugas and his wife, who have been sweepstakes hobbyists for over 20 years. As it turns out, the Dugas family aren’t really motorcycle enthusiasts and live in a 1400 square foot abode, sans garage in which to even keep their new, colossal Bat Bike. While Mr. Dugas happily admits that this is the best thing he’s ever won, the maintenance of an accidental collectible of this scale can prove to be overwhelming. So, how do you accidentally win the Batcycle?
“I sent in a few entries to this promo and won”, says Mr. Dugas. It’s not more complicated than that – almost disappointingly. I’d expect a face-off with The Joker, or a trivia contest or something to prove the worthiness of the Bike’s victor beyond having legible penmanship and a stamp. Still, the unexpected addition of a new, two-wheeled member of the family has been a cumbersome thing.
“It has been a lot to do just trying to get insurance on the bike, and [figuring out] how to pay the taxes on the bike. Putting all that aside, it’s been kind of fun also. I learned a lot about the MV Agusta motorcycle and the people who ride them, and how great they are. I also learned a lot about Batman collectors and how awesome [they are]”. We are.
Of course, nothing is ever free, and winning a $35,000 prize comes with about $10,000 in taxes – because joy and delight are taxable, now. The air and blood taxes won’t be too far behind, folks, so start selling your blood on eBay now.
Mr. Dugas has been attempting to sell the bike since October of 2008, only days after winning it, because of this incredible amount of taxes. He hasn’t had any luck just yet, which is hopefully where Collectors’ Quest readers will come in. Do you know a wealthy Bat-fan? Do you have a direct line to Jay Leno? Are you just a little crazy and rich at the same time? Drop Sidney a line at the e-mail address at the end of this article!
Fortunately, Mr. Dugas hasn’t yet been forced to also pay for storage for the bike, as Hershey’s has pushed back the actual arrival date for the bike back to May of this year. Unfortunately, however, because he doesn’t have the bike in hand, he’s also been unable to make a dedicated, concerted effort to sell the bike through the usual avenues like eBay. So, why does someone take on such a cumbersome responsibility, and did the winner actually maintain the option of refusing the grand prize?
“I had the option of refusing the bike, but I was hoping to sell the bike and make a little money. My wife and I spend a lot of time taking care of our handicapped grandson, [so] we could use the money.” It’s not as if Mr. Dugas is opposed to the idea of collecting, as he’s been a coin collector himself – but the allure of a few bucks for a unique collectible, especially to cover medical bills for his family, is a necessity. He’s not trying to profit from the bike – he’s converting a sought-after collectible into something far more practical for his family.
If you have any leads of ideas about how to properly get rid of this colossal thing appropriately, drop Sidney a line at sdugas54@cox.net. He’ll be happy to hear from you, and I’m sure he’d love to have a plan for the bike before it arrives.
Me, I’d love a Batcycle, but I am cursed with practicality. Huge or unexpected collectibles can be a huge burden and very time-consuming, so take the months-long plight of Sidney into account before you accept any huge prizes.
