I missed something in the logic.

[Mark]

Maybe they were just trying to cheer you up with the thought that another Heilmann is bound to come up again later.

[FrankWakefield]

Could it be that you were the underbidder, that the winner contacted the seller and backed out of the transaction, so that the seller is now offering a 'second chance' to you?

[Brian Van Horn]

Frank,

I would like that to be the case, but it was not. I checked eBay and this was not a second chance offering.

[thescooper]

Maybe he had another one and put it up straight away?

[Matthew H]

Maybe the seller offered you and another bidder a second chance offer and the other bidder took it? I seem to remember that is possible, when I was selling stuff.

[alanu]

If you didn't get the message thru ebay it's probably some kind of scam.