Though thought of for many years as the quintessential symbol of Dutch democracy, hundreds of people have put their red pencils up for sale on Marktplaats
Translated by Thomas Ansell
As reported by the Leeuwarder Courant, the online classified platform Marktplaats has been inundated with red pencils from this week’s Dutch election. In previous elections voters haven’t been able to take the voting pencil home with them, however due to the Coronavirus pandemic many people were able to bring home their democratic right (in pencil form).
Apparently, people have searched for the pencils up to 300,000 times on Marktplaats, and there are about 1,500 pencils up for sale on the website. Most of these are listed as being a ‘unique item’.
The pencils are available up and down the country, with lots of people offering them for a few euros. However in Groningen city one Marktplaats user is asking 500,000 euros for their pencil. A spokesperson for Marktplaats said: “serious sellers are asking a few euros, up to twenty euros or so. A number of people are offering their for free, too”.
Image via Flickr user Marco Verch. License here.
