The G4G 2026 Fall Auction Fundraiser will run from October 17 – 24, 2026. Don’t miss out!
This is the perfect opportunity to get gifts for the holidays, birthdays, and other occasions! Unique items in the auction include International Puzzle Party (IPP) puzzles, artwork, and memorabilia. Proceeds fund G4G17 scholarships, virtual Celebration of Mind talks, and other outreach initiatives.
Puzzles &
Games
Artwork
& Crafts
Memorabilia
& Novelties
Featured Auction Items
Pegged Pyramid Puzzle
The late, renowned Harry L. Nelson designed this puzzle for International Puzzle Party 26 (2006). The wood-crafted design features interlocking pegged puzzle pieces which can be assembled into a three-dimensional pyramid shape. A fun challenge that will delight and perplex any player. Harry L. Nelson (1932-2024) was a pioneering mathematician and computer programmer. Nelson coded early supercomputers (Cray-1, Cray X-MP) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. In 1979, he helped discover the 27th Mersenne Prime, which was the largest known prime number of its time. A lover of games and puzzles, Nelson’s team also won the World Computer Chess Championship in 1983 and 1986. These original, limited-edition puzzles are an opportunity to engage with this great mind.
Magic Tetromino Checkerboard Puzzle
This advanced puzzle, designed for the International Puzzle Party 23 by mathematician Les Barton, presents a real challenge for mathematical minds. Made up of 16 T-shaped tetrominoes, players must rearrange the pieces to fit a series of very specific requirements. Can you align the number values into a magic square, keep the shaded sections in a checkerboard shape, and fit all tetrominoes together?
Interlocking Block Puzzles Bundle
These colorful, all-metal 3D block puzzles present a fun challenge for mathematical minds. Try to pull the pieces apart—then can you put them back together? Durable construction means that these puzzles will delight players for many years to come.
Geometric Eggshells
These egg-shaped art pieces are painted with delicate, intricate geometric patterns. Made from preserved eggshells, they are would make colorful display pieces for any math or geometry enthusiast.
Square Weave Puzzle
A rare paper puzzle handcrafted by puzzle maker Oskar van Deventer. Can you solve the layers of overlapping paper tiles? A fun challenge for puzzling minds.
Vi Hart Original Yellow Sketch Folder
Now is your chance to own this folder of sketches, explanations, and drawings seen on Vi Hart’s YouTube and Vimeo channels! Vi Hart is known for creating videos popularizing their creative and playful approach to mathematics, geometry, and other subjects.
This folder includes drawings used to plan or shoot original Vi Hart videos. A standout is their timeline of math history, seen in “What was up with Pythagoras?”: https://vimeo.com/147787627 Vi Hart has offered G4G and me (Nancy Blachman) this folder as a thank you for supporting their early math career! Now is your chance to support G4G by bidding for and, hopefully, winning these playful pages.
Cards-in-a-Bottle Sculpture
Now is your chance to acquire an Impossible Bottle. The box and deck of cards somehow managed to be put inside the bottle. A conversation and display piece that is sure to engage and inspire. Great for puzzlers, fans of card games, geometry enthusiasts, or anyone with a great bar setup.
Orbis Lattice 3
3D printed, illuminated sculpture by Joseph Yudovsky, whose artwork sits at the intersection of engineering and intuition. Statement from the artist:
Orbis Lattice 3 is part of a collection that transforms Platonic geometric symmetry into dynamic topological forms. Each piece rearranges classic patterns on a sphere, balancing stability and change. The series focuses on dodecahedral–icosahedral dual symmetries with structures formed from 30 interwoven rings. This illuminated version features a mini lamp in the pedestal, highlighting each piece’s unique character.
Martin Gardner Cryptography: Framed Poster
Martin Gardner (1914-2010) was a renowned mathematician who dedicated much of his life to popularizing math and science to the broader public, writing for Scientific American and other outlets. This framed poster commemorates the organization Gathering 4 Gardner’s monthly “Celebration of Mind” meetings, with a uniquely Gardner twist: referencing his work with mathematical symmetry, typography, and ambigrams, the poster can also be displayed upside down, where the text becomes a list of his major scholarly interests.
Online Auction Fundraiser
- When:
Sunday, October 17th through Sunday, October 24th, 2026 - Timing:
Auction items will open for bidding at 10am PT / 1pm ET and each individual auction item will close at the same time one week later. Individual auction items’ opening/closing times will be intentionally staggered to allow participants to easily bid on multiple items. - Where: eBay for Charity (see details below).
- What:
A wide variety of items have been donated that we expect will spark the imaginations of the G4G community and like-minded friends. These items will be posted for auction via eBay for Charity where 100% of proceeds will go to support the G4G Foundation. - What kinds of items will be in this auction?
Puzzles, notebooks, books, and more!
FAQ
- Can I donate an item to be auctioned?
- Not for this auction. But let us know if you want to donate something for a future auction.
- How does shipping work?
- For many eBay auction items, winning bidders will be responsible for covering shipping costs, which will be paid as part of the eBay purchase. Winning bidders may also be invoiced separately via PayPal after the auction closes for additional shipping insurance coverage.
- Is my purchase tax deductible?
- If you donate an item to the G4G auction, usually the fair market value of your item(s) is tax deductible. We recommend you to consult a tax advisor.
- If you bid on an item on G4G’s eBay for Charity site, only the portion of the bid ABOVE the fair market value is tax deductible.
- Consult your tax advisor for your specific circumstances.
Who Can Participate
The Online Auction Fundraiser is open to everyone! G4G past attendees, potential future attendees, and the general public – all are welcome to join in the fun! Please share with your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors. The more bids the better!
How to Participate
1. eBay for Charity
The G4G Auction is held on eBay for Charity where 100% of auction proceeds will be donated to the G4G Foundation. The eBay auction features a wide variety of physical items (games, puzzles, art, jewelry, books, and more!). Functioning in the same way as the original eBay marketplace, eBay for Charity allows us to efficiently sell a wide range of donated items through their platform.
PLEASE NOTE: G4G does not offer appraisal services; auction item values are estimates provided by the item donor. These values have not been independently verified by G4G.
2. Direct Donations
If you prefer to give a monetary donation directly to G4G, you can always do so on the donation page on our website.
3. Partner Sites
Some of our partners have generously donated tickets to special events and experiences, giving you the chance to bid on something memorable while supporting G4G. See below.
Fundraiser Partners
Art of Play – 69 Atlantic
Art of Play has generously donated two tickets to a performance at 69 Atlantic. Your winning bid helps G4G continue bringing together a community devoted to magic, mathematics, puzzles, art, and curiosity.
ART OF PLAY – Take a stroll down Atlantic Avenue and step inside Brooklyn Height’s premier curiosity shop. Browse their curated collection of magical home goods, puzzles, games, toys and books.
69 Atlantic – The new home for close up magic shows in Brooklyn. 69 Atlantic is an intimate hidden theater designed to showcase the world’s finest sleight of hand performers.