BizJournals Portfolio
Jun 25 2008 12:00am EDT

Warren Buffett: Cheap Date

Suddenly, the world's richest man is worth less. At least shoppers on eBay seem to think so.

On Friday evening, the annual auction of a lunch date with Warren Buffett is scheduled to come to a close. So far, however, bidders haven't even approached the heights tested by last year's winner, "fastisslow."

That person, who declined to be identified, forked over $620,100 to raise a fork with Buffett and seven guests (of the victor's choosing) over steaks at Smith & Wollensky in New York City.

Bidders in 2008, on the other hand, have offered to cough up only $77,100 thus far. Proceeds will benefit the Glide Foundation, a San Francisco charity dedicated to easing poverty in the Bay Area.

Has the economic downturn found a new victim in philanthropy? Or are canny bidders holding fire until closer to the bidding deadline of 10 p.m. EDT Friday?

For now, the opportunity to swap stock picks with the greatest value investor in history is one of the greatest values ever: half the price of business school.

by Marisa Rindone


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