Auctioneer Brent Lawrence knows how energetic the bidding gets at New York Mint’s employee recognition auction because he worked one recently. A bar-be-que lunch and auction are held as part of the New York Mint’s annual employee recognition event called “Christmas in July,” the brainchild of Joe Cassioppi, vice president of sales and marketing at New York Mint.

Cassioppi said that June and July are typically slow months in his business, so to drive sales he stages a different sales contest each day. Employees get awarded auction money based on their sales.

No one gets left out. Each week, each non-sales team employee draws the name of a sales person and receives the same amount of money as their designated sales person. Employees get a weekly update on their money, culminating in a final tally on Thursday prior to the recognition event.

Prizes live up to the name “Christmas in July.” Gifts range from plasma TVs, laptop computers, ATVs and jet skies to vacations, diamonds and even six months of cleaning service. Each employee walks away with a large and small prize.

While some sales organizations motivate employees with a gift catalogue they can shop from, Cassioppi purposefully selected an auction.

“An auction is a lively event,” said Cassioppi. “Employees and their families have a strategy going in and everyone has fun bidding back and forth.”

“Because this isn’t real money, employees bid fast and furious on something they want until they’ve exhausted their allotted cash,” said Lawrence. “At times there were 10 paddles up in the air. I quit chanting and just called dollars and paddle numbers of the employees all vying for the same prize.”

To add to the fun, Cassioppi offered two “mystery gifts.” As Lawrence started to auction the first one, Cassioppi offered only one clue. “It’s more than $501,” he chuckled. When the bidding finally ended, the winner learned the prize was a trip valued at $8,000.

Attendees liked the event. “This is the best recognition event I’ve ever been to,” said Mike Lehner, a sales rep who joined New York Mint only eight months ago. “It doesn’t matter what I walk away with, it’s a memorable event for my family and me.”