HARRISBURG — The auction of thousands of Old West artifacts purchased by a former Harrisburg mayor for a failed museum project has netted about $2.7 million for the city as it tries to recoup the money spent on the collection.

The auction ended Sunday with around $3.2 million in proceeds. The city will keep about $2.7 million, enough to pay off the $2.5 million remaining on a $7.2 million loan.

The sale means the total recouped by the city for the 10,000-piece collection is about $4.4 million out of about $8.3 million paid.

Former Mayor Stephen Reed bought the artifacts to fill three unrealized museums, with the first focused on the Old West.