Silent Auction 2025
The Silent Auction is closed . Winners will be announced at the MOS Convention dinner on Sept. 27 at the Arc on Market Street in Frederick, MD. You do not need to be present to win.
How the Silent Auction Works
The silent auction will be a Vickery Auction, also known as a sealed-bid second-price auction.
In a Vickery Auction, each bidder may submit as many bids as they wish. However, only their highest bid will be accepted. Their other bids will be ignored. It is important to note that the time the bidder’s highest bid is received will also be recorded and it could impact who the winner is.
The bidder who submits the highest bid wins the auction, but the price is set by the second-highest bid.
In the event that two bidders enter the same winning price for an item, the winner will be the bidder who entered their bid first and the price will be the winning bid.
For MOS, the Vickery Auction has a number of advantages. First, it is very simple to hold the auction: we just need to record only each person’s highest bid and the time it was made, and then select the winner. Second, there is no advantage to bidding late in the auction; no information about other bids will be available. Third, a Vickery Auction results in an optimal outcome for all bidders.
If each bidder enters a bid of the maximum price that they are willing to pay for the item, then the Vickery Auction results in the optimal outcome for each bidder: either winning the auction at a price less than or equal to the bidder’s maximum price or losing the auction to someone who had a higher maximum price. Vickery auctions, with some modifications, are used in real estate by sellers of houses and on eBay.
Thanks to our sponsors for donating these fantastic silent auction prizes!
3-night Package at the Canopy Tower in Panama (Retail value: US$1,069.60)
The minimum bid is $350.00. To place your bid, please click here.
The 3-night package can be redeemed during the green season at the Canopy Tower, which runs from April 16, 2026, to December 15, 2026.
This package is offered for one person, but the winner has the option to bring a friend or family member by paying for an additional package.
The 3-day package is based on the regular 7-day itinerary. When participating in a package shorter than the full 7-day itinerary, please be aware that the tours the person receives will depend on the day they join a full itinerary tour that may be in progress at the the Canopy Tower. The itinerary is not in order. Full day tours are not included in the shorter versions.
The Canopy Tower maintains a favorable ratio of 8 birders per guide for an enriching and personalized birding tour. Check in is at 12:00 noon until 6:30pm and checkout is at 9:00 a.m. Here is the itinerary:
- Day 1: Arrival
- Day 2: Tour AM + Tour PM
- Day 3: Tour AM + Tour PM
- Day 4: Breakfast. Check out and transfer to city hotel or Tocumen Airport.
Their comprehensive package includes the following:
- Group airport transfers
- Accommodations
- All meals and select beverages (natural fruit juices, sodas, and wine at dinner)
- Services of bilingual, professional Nature/Bird guides
- All tours mentioned in the itinerary
- WiFi
- Entrance fees to national parks as per the itinerary
- Snacks and beverages during all outings
The Canopy Tower will provide additional information once the winner contacts them.
Vortex Viper HD 8 x 42 Binoculars (Retail value: $719.99)
The minimum bid is $200.00. To place your bid, please click here.
Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42mm Roof Binoculars (Retail value: $229.95)
The minimum bid is $75.00. To place your bid, please click here.
All-Access Pass to Noir City at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, MD (Retail value: $200.00)
The minimum bid is $50.00. To place your bid, please click here.
For screenings and show times, please click here.