5x extraordinary celebrity items ever auctioned off

Earlier we wrote about the record amount raised by the auctioned shirt of soccer player Diego Maradona. However some people go a step further and count record amounts for a tooth, handkerchief or piece of hair of their greatest idol. MASTERS lists the most extraordinary celebrity items ever auctioned off. Text: Fleur de Jong

1. A tooth

A tooth belonging to John Lennon fetched about €22,600 euros at an auction in the British town of Stockport. The musician lost the tooth in the 1960s during a visit to the dentist. He took the tooth home and then gave it to his housekeeper so she could give it to her daughter... The special Beatle relic eventually came into the hands of Canadian dentist Michael Zuk who wrote the book ''Celebrities and their freaky smiles.'' 

2. Underwear

This just proves that fans really go very far, in 2012 Elvis Presley's underwear that he wore during a show in 1977 was auctioned off. And yes, complete with stains. The underwear fetched €€6,278. But in history, besides this curious item, more items of the King of Rock have already gone under the hammer. In 2021, for example, Elvis' jumpsuit fetched €852,000 euros at auction. The suit was designed by Bill Belew and was worn during his 1972 performances at Madison Square Garden. A racing helmet from the movie Viva Las Vegas also previously sold for €20,000 euros, a tuxedo from the movie Frankie & Johnny brought €60,000 euros and boots worn by the rock icon during performances went under the hammer for €24,000.

 

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3. Tissue 

Actress Scarlett Johansson was a guest on the American The Tonight Show when host Jay Leno handed her a tissue because she had a cold. Johansson blew her nose, put the tissue in a bag and put her signature on it. After all, the actress had an idea that this might raise some money for charity. In the end, one fan paid about €5,000 euros for the tissue. The money raised went to USA Harvest, a charity that collects leftover food from restaurants, hotels and hospitals to then donate to people in need.

4. Hair lock 

A piece of singer John Lennon's hair fetched over €31,000 euros at auction. The Beatle's lock of hair was cut off on the set of a movie when he was having his cut taken care of. The hairdresser who was called in was so excited that he called in the newspaper. The news reports discussed Lennon's new haircut in detail. The barber was allowed to take the hair home and kept it for no less than fifty years. The eventual buyer is a British collector and thus paid handsomely for the lock. But for the €31,000 euros, he also got to have the newspaper articles with it... Other celebrities also appear to have golden locks; in 2016 a piece of Marilyn Monroe' s hair was auctioned for €40,000 euros, a lock of Justin Bieber 's for €41,000 euros in 2011 and in 1994 a lock of Beethoven's went under the hammer for €7,300 euros. 

 

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5. Shoes

Usually sneakers become worth less when you wear them. However, this is not true of the pair Kanye West wore at the Grammys in 2008. The sneakers were unknown at the time, as it took another year after this before Nike officially released the sneakers. Eventually, the pair was sold by auction house Sotheby's for €1.5 million euros.

 

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