Account: " The auctioneer brought up Joshua's Molly and family. He announced that Molly insisted that she was lame in her left foot, and perversely would walk lame, although, for his part, he did not believe a word of it. He had caused her to be examined by an eminent physician in Savannah, which medical light had declared that Joshua's Molly was not lame, but was only shamming. However, the gentlemen must judge for themselves and bid accordingly. So Molly was put through her paces, and compelled to trot up and down along the stage, to go up and down the steps, and to exercise her feet in various ways, but always with the same result, the left foot would be lame. She was finally sold for $695. [equivalent to approximately $15,300 in today's dollars]" - "Slave Auction, 1859", EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2005).
This account is from a news article published in March 1859. It is about a women named Molly who has a walking disability. The buyers wanted to make sure if she had problems or not. So she was forced to walk around, it was judged she had problems and was sold for $695 which is $15,300 today.
Account: “Gentlemen, here is a likely boy; how much? He is sold for no fault; the owner wants money. His age is forty. Three hundred dollars is all that I am offered for him. Please to examine him; he is warranted sound. Boy, pull off your shirt ⎯ roll up your pants ⎯ for we want to see if you have been whipped.” If they discover any scars they will not buy, saying that the nigger is a bad one. The auctioneer seeing this, cries, “Three hundred dollars, gentlemen, three hundred dollars. Shall I sell him for three hundred dollars? I have just been informed by his master that he is an honest boy and belongs to the same church that he does.” This turns the tide frequently, and the bids go up fast; and he is knocked off for a good sum. " -Henry Watson, Narrative of Henry Watson, A Fugitive Slave, 1848
An eight year old boy is telling his account in a auction. He is narrating a 40 year old man being sold. The man is told to showparts of his body for scars and wounds. He is told to be a good man and is put up for $300. After that acknowledgement the bids rose up to a good price.