A charity auction of 45 original tiles from the former pools at the Pieterburen seal rescue centre has raised €10,101, with most bids coming from Japan, the organisation said on Friday.
The sale marked the “Japanniversary” – one year since the centre’s livestreams of swimming seals went viral in Japan – and symbolised the transition from more than 50 years of seal care in Pieterburen to a new location at the World Heritage Centre Wadden Sea (WEC) in Lauwersoog, the organisation said.
The tiles came from the pools where weakened and injured seals were rehabilitated before being released back into the Wadden Sea and those bearing visible claw scratches were especially sought-after, the centre said.
“Every scratch tells the story of a seal that swam here before returning to the wild,” said spokeswoman Hester de Vries. “That makes the tiles emotionally valuable for fans who want a tangible memory of the care their favourite seal received.”
The top-selling tile, from the indoor pool where orphaned grey seal pups swam for the first time, fetched €505 from a Japanese buyer. Tiles from the Gulf Pool, famous for its 24/7 livestream, also attracted high bids. The centre had expected each tile to sell for €50–€70, but the average price was over €200, RTV Noord reported.
Japan has developed a dedicated following for the centre over the past year, with daily messages, fan art, donations and symbolic adoptions of seals. Fans from the Netherlands, Germany, the US and Taiwan also took part in the auction.
The entire sum raised will fund seal care at the WEC, where the centre moved in May. “More and more seals end up in distress because of human activity,” De Vries said. “Seal care remains necessary, and we are incredibly grateful for all the support.”
A second auction is planned soon, featuring other memorabilia from the old Pieterburen site, including original flags, signs and maps. The proceeds will again go entirely to seal care.
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