Games use auctions all the time as a way to determine how players acquire things or manage their money, but they don't just run straight-up auctions because that's less interesting. The auctions need hurdles that challenge players with what they can bid or what they're bidding for or who they're bidding against or how they can use what they acquire.
Takahiro's Rubbish Auction from KogeKogeDo is another take on auction games, with players trying to win items that match their secret goal, while bidding well on — but not winning! — almost everything else. You want to flash that cash to impress everyone at the auction hall, but not actually take anything home because most of it is junk!