How many letters does the top answer for “the public sale of something to the highest bidder” have?

The most common answer is auction (7 letters).

Crossword clue: the public sale of something to the highest bidder

2 answers found in Letterora's clue database (Wikidata facts, Open Trivia DB, WordNet and Webster definitions — all licensed sources).

auction 7 letters wn-def

the public sale of something to the highest bidder

vendue 6 letters wn-def

the public sale of something to the highest bidder