[Milsurplus] Appraisal via eBay Virtual Sale

[J Forster]

It occurs to me that a good way to appraise the market value of an item
for a private transaction is by an eBay 'virtual' sale, and I wonder if
anyone has tried this.

It would work like this: The seller puts the item up with a description
and w/o a BIN or reserve as usual, and then the prospective buyer puts
in a very high bid and the sale goes to conclusion. The very high bidder
will get the item, except under the most unusual circumstances, at one
bid increment about what the impartial third party  (not involved in the
deal) is willing to pay. eBay gets it's fees, the buyer and seller have
arrived at a market price for the item, and the item has gone to the
intended buyer.

The only additional cost to the buyer is the eBay listing and final
value fees, but the seller knows the price was market.

Any comments?
-John