Published November 2005 | Version Submitted
Working Paper Open

Non-Existence of Equilibrium in Vickrey, Second-Price, and English Auctions

Abstract

A simple example shows that equilibria can fail to exist in second price (Vickrey) and English auctions when there are both common and private components to bidders' valuations and private information is held on both dimensions. The example shows that equilibrium only exists in the extremes of pure private and pure common values, and that existence in standard models is not robust to a slight perturbation.

Additional Information

This is a revised version of Jackson (1999), where the implications of the example have been strengthened, and the discussion of its implications for the auctions literature has been updated. I thank Andy Postlewaite for encouraging me to resurrect this paper, Laurent Mathevet for helpful comments on an earlier draft, and Jeroen Swinkels for many valuable discussions of the subject.

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Identifiers

Eprint ID
79765
Resolver ID
CaltechAUTHORS:20170802-114410645

Dates

Created
2017-08-02
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Updated
2019-10-03
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Caltech groups
Social Science Working Papers
Series Name
Social Science Working Paper
Series Volume or Issue Number
1241