A New Zealand teenager sells a small, red paper clip on an Internet auction site for $173 during "a boring day of work."

Buyer Keith Brock, of Auckland, grabs the clip from auction site TradeMe with the winning bid yesterday. The transaction proves to be harmless fun, as Brock and 19 year-old Rhys White donate the $173 to the Auckland SPCA.

Both men traveled into town to have a celebratory drink, with the bubble-wrapped, red paper clip safely tucked away in Brock's glove compartment.

Brock, who works in industrial automation is a TradeMe veteran, with his three-bedroon home up for sale on the site, currently going for over $650,000.

White put the paper clip for sale with the message, "hope this paper clip goes to a good home or office. Has served me well. He even included detailed technical specs: "30mm high and 10mm wide."

It wasn't long before the paper clip started receiving numerous enquiries. One person asked if the paper clip would attract women if it were hung from a car's rear view mirror.

White says he may now consider selling a broken rubber band.