The Weirdest Things That Sold At Auctions
People will pay a fortune for rare art, classic cars, or historic memorabilia, but some auction items defy all logic. Whether it’s pure nostalgia, obsession, or just plain curiosity, these bizarre items prove that, at the right auction, anything can become a treasure.
Elvis Presley’s Backgammon Game
Elvis Presley was a big fan of Backgammon, a game that surged in popularity in the late 1960s. His personal travel board was often brought out on his private plane during flights between concerts. In November 2016, this board sold for $1,024.
RCA Records, Wikimedia Commons
Justin Timberlake’s Leftover French Toast
Justin Timberlake’s leftover French toast became one of the strangest celebrity auctions ever. After an interview at Z100, he left behind two uneaten slices, which a DJ jokingly listed on eBay, only for a teenage fan to buy them for $1,025. Her plan? Freeze-dry and seal the toast as a prized keepsake.
Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Mask Of David Bowie's Face
A plaster mask of David Bowie’s face, used to test prosthetics for his role in the 1983 vampire film The Hunger, went up for sale last year. Though the film has a cult following, critic Roger Ebert famously called it “agonizingly bad”. That didn’t stop Bowie’s mask from selling for £1,800, proving his legacy remains priceless to fans.
David Bowie's masks - Artsnight: Preview - BBC, BBC
John Lennon's School Detention Record
Even as a teenager, John Lennon had a rebellious streak. At Quarry Bank High School in Liverpool, he racked up 29 detentions in just 10 months for offenses like "impertinence" and "silly conduct". In 2015, his old school rap sheet went up for auction at Sotheby’s London, selling for £2,500.
Vern Barchard, Wikimedia Commons
Madonna's Old Credit Card
Madonna’s Blond Ambition tour was one of the most iconic in pop history, filled with bold fashion and unforgettable performances. But would you pay thousands for her expired credit card? It was first estimated to sell for $400–$600, but it ended up selling for $2,560 at a 2016 auction.
Joan Didion’s Empty Notebooks
When writer and journalist Joan Didion’s belongings went up for auction in 2021, everything from her desk to her tea towels was bought by eager buyers. Surprisingly, one of the most sought-after items was her collection of blank, lined notebooks, with bids reaching $5,000.
Scarlett Johansson's Used Tissue
Scarlett Johansson turned a sneeze into a charitable act. After using a tissue on The Tonight Show in 2008, she sealed it in a bag, signed it, and joked that Samuel L Jackson had given her the cold, making it extra valuable. She later auctioned it on eBay for $5,300, donating the proceeds to charity.
Universal, The Tonight Show (2008)
Jerry Lee Lewis's Nose Ointment
Believe it or not, even used medicine containers can fetch big bucks at an auction. Fans of Jerry Lee Lewis bid on his squeezed-out nasal ointment tube, courtesy of his ex-wife. It went for more than $8,000.
Silvio Tanaka, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
King Charles’s Goat Sculpture
King Charles made a tiny ceramic goat during his time at Cambridge and painted it with pink and yellow stripes. The goat sculpture later sold for £8,500 at an auction. Once owned by a former Cambridge cook’s family, this palm-sized piece of royal art became a surprising collector’s item decades later.
Pottery Goat made by King Charles sells for thousands at auction, WNCT-TV 9 On Your Side
A Wig Worn By Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol’s signature silver wig was more than just a cover-up, it became part of his iconic look. In 2006, one of his wigs smashed expectations at an auction, selling for $10,800.
Bernard Gotfryd, Wikimedia Commons
Lady Gaga's Broken Acrylic Nail
Lady Gaga’s lost nail turned into a pricey piece of memorabilia. During her Born This Way tour in Dublin, a black and gold acrylic nail popped off mid-performance. A stagehand mistook it for a guitar pick, and later, it sold for a staggering $12,000.
Everett Collection, Shutterstock
Britney Spears’ Used Chewing Gum
People will buy just about anything linked to a celebrity, even chewed gum. In 2004, a piece of gum supposedly chewed by Britney Spears went up for sale online, with bids reaching over $14,000. The auction sparked a bizarre trend, with other sellers claiming to have Britney-chewed pieces of gum.
Joan Rivers's Dog Bowl
Joan Rivers loved her dogs, and they certainly lived in luxury. In 2016, a Tiffany dog bowl belonging to her beloved terrier, Spike, sold for $14,000. The auction also featured Louis XV-style armchairs designed just for her pups to lounge on, because only the best would do for Joan’s furry friends.
John Lennon’s Toilet
Of all the things money can buy, one Beatles fan chose to spend nearly $15,000 on John Lennon’s old toilet. The porcelain throne came from Tittenhurst Park, the English estate where Lennon recorded his iconic Imagine album.
Peter Fordham, Wikimedia Commons
Queen Victoria’s Underwear
Queen Victoria’s cotton knickers sold for a whopping $16,300 in 2015. Embroidered with her initials, “VR” for Victoria Regina, these well-preserved undergarments were kept in pristine condition. With a roomy 45-inch waist, they were even slightly altered as the queen shrank with age, a detail that had collectors buzzing with excitement.
Auckland Museum, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Winston Churchill’s False Teeth
Winston Churchill’s false teeth didn’t just help him speak, they also had a habit of being thrown in frustration. One of his backup sets, designed to preserve his signature lisp, sold for £18,000 at an auction. It was originally crafted by dentist Wilfred Fish and technician Derek Cudlipp, the set had already been sold once before in 2010 for £15,200.
Set of Winston Churchill's false teeth goes on sale next month, WSIL News 3
David Bowie's Hair
A small lock of David Bowie's hair, originally kept by a wig-maker for creating his wax figure, ended up selling for big money. The hair, dating back to his "Let's Dance" era, was auctioned in Beverly Hills for a surprisingly high price of $18,000.
Cinema 5, The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
John Lennon's Tooth
In one of the strangest Beatles memorabilia sales, John Lennon's extracted tooth was auctioned off in 2011. It was originally given to his housekeeper to pass along to her daughter, a Beatles fan. The rotten molar ended up selling for £19,000.
William Shatner's Kidney Stone
William Shatner is known for his dramatic acting and unique spoken-word music, but did you know he once auctioned off his kidney stone? In 2006, he sold the massive stone for $25,000, joking that it was big enough to wear as a ring. The buyer? An online casino known for collecting bizarre items, including a car once owned by the Pope.
Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Willie Nelson's Braids
Willie Nelson’s long braids are as legendary as his music, but in 1980, he cut them off at a party hosted by Johnny and June Carter Cash. The event celebrated Waylon Jennings’ sobriety, and Nelson’s hair became a one-of-a-kind keepsake. In 2014, those famous braids were auctioned off for a whopping $37,000.
Pamela Smith, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Justin Bieber's Hair
When 17-year-old Justin Bieber gifted his freshly cut locks to Ellen DeGeneres, she put them up for auction on eBay. Bidding skyrocketed, with his hair selling for $40,000!
Justin Bieber Gives Ellen a Lock of His Hair!, TheEllenShow
Truman Capote’s Ashes
Truman Capote’s love for adventure didn’t end with his life—his ashes have had quite the journey too. Kept in a Japanese wooden box, they once belonged to his close friend Joanne Carson before being stolen, recovered, and eventually sold in 2016 for $45,000.
Eric Koch for Anefo, Wikimedia Commons
X-Rays Of Marilyn Monroe's Chest
In 1954, Marilyn Monroe had a routine chest X-ray taken at a hospital, never imagining it would become a collector's item. Decades later, in 2010, those X-rays sold for far more than $45,000. Even her medical records became part of Hollywood history.
Michael Jackson's Jacket
Kim Kardashian went all out for Christmas, buying her daughter North a £65,000 velvet jacket once worn by Michael Jackson. It’s hard to say if the six-year-old was thrilled with the pricey piece of music history, but the jacket was tailored to fit her and could be adjusted as she grew.
Stephane Cardinale/Corbis, Getty Images
A Piece Of Elvis Presley’s Hair
Elvis fans will pay big for a piece of the King. In 2002, a lock of his hair, saved by his barber and stored in a plastic bag since 1977, sold for an incredible $115,000.
A Banana Taped To A Wall
Art is subjective. That’s why people at the Art Basel in Miami, where Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan’s piece, Comedian, sold for a staggering $120,000. The artwork sparked debate about what truly defines “art,” but one thing’s for sure: Someone found it artistic enough to purchase it.
Freddie Mercury’s Mustache Comb
A simple Tiffany mustache comb became the star of a Sotheby’s auction, with an expected price of £400-600. But bidders had other plans, driving the final sale up to an astonishing £152,400. The sale was such a sensation that Sotheby’s even hung a giant mustache over its front door in celebration.
picture alliance, Getty Images
Princess Diana's Dress
Princess Diana's iconic dress from her famous dance with John Travolta at the White House in 1985 has had quite the journey. Originally bought as a lavish surprise gift, it was bought again in 2019, selling for $320,000. Eventually, the Historic Royal Palaces claimed the dress, ensuring its place in history.
Reagan White House Photographs, Wikimedia Commons
JK Rowling’s Chair
The chair JK Rowling sat in while writing the first two Harry Potter books sold for an incredible $394,000 at an auction in 2016. Along with it came a heartfelt note from Rowling herself, reminiscing about how this mismatched dining chair supported her through the creation of the Harry Potter series.
Chair J.K.Rowling used when writing Harry Potter auctioned at $65,000, On Demand News
Olivia Newton-John's Outfit From Grease
Olivia Newton-John’s iconic black leather jacket and skin-tight trousers sold at a Beverly Hills auction for nearly double the expected price, raking in $405,700. The pants were so tight she had to be sewn into them and they were auctioned off with a broken zipper.
Grease (1978) - You're the One That I Want + ending scene (HD) by Andrea YT
Darth Vader's Original Mask
A dedicated Star Wars fan went all out to own a piece of cinematic history: the mask worn by Darth Vader during his big reveal. Expected to sell for around $442,000, a fierce bidding war sent the price soaring to $885,000!
An American Town
In 2012, Buford, Wyoming, the smallest town in America, was auctioned off for nearly $900,000. Its only resident, Don Sammons, sold the 10-acre town, complete with a gas station and convenience store, to a Vietnamese investor, officially bringing Buford’s population down to zero. According to the 2020 census, it’s still a ghost town.
Carol M. Highsmith, Wikimedia Commons
Michael Jordan's Signed Shoes
Michael Jordan's game-worn Nike Air Ships from his rookie season in 1984 turned out to be an incredible gift for one lucky Denver Nuggets fan. Originally signed and given to Tommie Tim III Lewis, the sneakers later sold for $1.5 million at an auction.
Michael Jordan-Signed Air Jordan Ones Become Most Expensive Sneakers Ever Auctioned, WJZ
The Final Violin To Have Been Played On The Titanic
One of the most haunting stories from the Titanic tragedy is that of the eight-piece band, led by Wallace Hartley, who played until the very end to calm passengers. When Hartley’s body was recovered, his violin case was still strapped to his back. In 2013, his damaged violin sold at auction for $1.7 million in under 10 minutes.
Titanic violin sells for a record price, CNN
Judy Garland’s Ruby Slippers
One of the four remaining pairs of Judy Garland’s iconic Wizard of Oz ruby slippers is hitting the auction block this December. Stolen in a 2005 heist and recovered nearly a decade later, the thief admitted he had never even seen the film, he just thought the shoes were made of real rubies! Now, with an estimated price of $3.5 million, the Judy Garland Museum is racing to buy them back, with the Minnesota government even pitching in $100,000 to help secure their return.
dbking, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Marilyn Monroe’s Iconic White Dress
Marilyn Monroe’s iconic white halter dress from The Seven Year Itch wasn’t just a dress, it was a moment in Hollywood history. The legendary gown sold for an astonishing $4.6 million in 2011. Actress Debbie Reynolds, a passionate collector of vintage Hollywood fashion, made a fortune when she auctioned it off.
A Dead Shark
In 2004, Damien Hirst sold a preserved tiger shark floating in formaldehyde for a staggering $8 million. The 22-ton shark may be long gone, but thanks to Hirst’s vision, it still looms eerily as a symbol of life, death, and artistic intrigue.
Damien Hirst's Brash Auction, CBS
Leonardo Da Vinci’s Codex Leicester
Leonardo da Vinci wasn’t just a brilliant artist, he was also a visionary scientist and engineer. His journal, the Codex Leicester, filled with ideas on inventions and the Earth’s mysteries, sold for an incredible $30.8 million to Bill Gates in 1994, making it one of the most expensive books ever.
Leonardo da Vinci, Wikimedia Commons
A Giant Steel Rabbit
Some art comes with a jaw-dropping price tag—like Jeff Koons’ three-foot stainless steel rabbit, which sold for an amazing $91 million in 2019. The sale set a world record for the most expensive work by a living artist, purchased by art dealer Robert E Mnuchin.
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Jeff Koons 'Rabbit' sculpture goes for $91.1 million, Breakfast Television
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