Go back and look at the clearly written rules to the contest
. Tell me, did it or did it not clearly state that the item must be linked to? Hell, a mediator could have checked the item and kept confidentiality.
It's even entirely possible that Erich simply posted it as a joke, and got paid for his bad humor.
Afterall, how hard is it to see axe damage on a staff?

Pretty sure the item had to be real to win the contest, even though it didn't have to be linked to.