The Monarchy.

Well, not really, I'm just trying to draw people in. Its about the eBay auction mentioned in the previous (somewhat brief) article published here. If you're a hardcore indyref operative with no time for frivolity - I won't be hurt if you move on to more serious subject matter.

It goes without saying, there was significant interest. Bidding was ferocious, the price shot up initially then plateau'd while the lightweights got out leaving only the serious collectors - and is it any wonder?

I mean, just look at the quality...

Even in the most common setting, true class shines through.

We can agree I need say no more on the topic - the item possessed a transcendental quality mere plebs are blind to.

The auction was tricky; in order to do justice to an artifact of this calibre, one must pick ones words carefully, the easiest way to demonstrate is to just show you those words.

I think now you understand why the bidding war that occurred, ummm, occurred.

With a starting price of 1p - it rose swiftly to 20p - and before long crept up to an eye-watering 80p. At that point there was a pause as warring bidders figuratively sized each other up. After three days of psychological warfare, movement could be seen as wily international collectors made exploratory bids - treble figures were achieved swiftly and the 100 pence mark was breached.

After a frenetic week in which 21 bids were made between three hard core contenders - a newcomer appeared at the 11th hour with an offer that smashed all previous bids: the cup was won. Commiserations went to the bidders who fought honourably while the Imperial Grail went to the Johnny-come-lately solicitant.

And so to the business of exchange: the invoice.

£5.50 - a 'Princely' sum of money?

And the buyer's response.

What can I say other than a big thank you to Don who made my day with his humour & generosity - something I like to think exemplifies what we on the Yes side are trying make large for Scotland in this sometimes fetid debate. I mean to say 'Wings' has its crowd funding and that works for them - but we have Jumble!

I'd like to say our Scouts are impoverished but coming as they do from a rather middle class background - they're not. They are however to a one, great fun to be around and thoroughly decent young human beings. If I was allowed (and I'm not) to have them thank Don for his kind donation by way of a video message - I would.

Rightly though, the Scout Association is strictly non-political. Even although members need no longer swear allegiance to God or the Queen, it's fleeting involvement ended with the auction. (What all that actually means is, people got a bit concerned when I asked for volunteers for Mug Annihilation Duty. Probably rightly so if I'm being honest - no one wants to be targeted by the Daily Express or by Franklin Mint Black Ops - they deny it but they exist...)

We spent a fair bit of time mulling over the various methods by which Don's wishes as the new owner could be carried out. We had a great many ideas; some daft, some extremely daft and one in particular that was spectacularly tasteless involving tunnels in foreign capitals. We (meaning I) became a bit concerned that destroying an item of this nature could attract quite a lot of ire, possibly even legal proceedings (is it traitorous to destroy and effigy of a future monarch?)

With that in mind, I had no choice but to cancel the destruction of the mug and send it to Don.

Unfortunately on the way to the Post Office...

(My skills as a film maker, I think you will agree, know no beginning.)

It seems fate had the same idea as Don did.

But then, we didn't see the mug smashed did we...

Maybe...

Surely not...

No, don't be daft.