In a world where celebrity culture reigns supreme, the allure of owning a piece of a famous person’s life can lead to some truly bizarre and often laughable transactions. Whether driven by obsessive fandom, the allure of owning a unique memento, or the sheer absurdity of it all, some buyers have splashed out jaw-dropping sums on items once touched, worn, or even barely noticed by a celebrity.
Here’s a look at some of the most ridiculous celebrity items that have fetched astronomical prices at auction, leaving many of us questioning the value of fame and fortune.
Truman Capote’s Ashes
In 2017, the ashes of celebrated author Truman Capote were sold at auction for an astonishing $43,750. Capote, best known for works like Breakfast at Tiffany’s, had died in 1984, and his ashes had been kept by his close friend, the wife of Johnny Carson.
After the friend passed away, the decision was made to auction them off, and they fetched a price that would make even Capote himself proud. While the sale of human ashes might strike many as distasteful, it’s hard to ignore the allure of owning a part of such a literary icon, even if it’s not the most glamorous part.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s Breath
In perhaps the strangest celebrity auction item of all time, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s breath became the focus of an auction in 2005. At the premiere of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, a couple sold a bottle containing a breath they claimed to have captured from the famous couple.
Although the item’s authenticity is in question, it became one of the most bizarre and talked-about celebrity sales in history. With the initial bid set at $500, the final price for the bottle of air reached a jaw-dropping $530. It’s hard to argue with the phrase, “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure”, especially when that trash is a mere breath.
John Lennon’s Toilet
It’s not every day that a toilet becomes a coveted collector’s item, but in the case of a toilet that once belonged to John Lennon, that’s exactly what happened. This piece of plumbing history, which was a part of Lennon’s Tittenhurst Park home from 1969 to 1972, sold for an astounding $11,773 in a 2010 auction.
The toilet had a rather humble and unremarkable past. It had been repurposed as a plant pot after Lennon swapped it out for a new one. Still, the notion of owning an item that once graced the house of a musical icon was enough to convince one buyer to shell out nearly ten times the expected price. It’s safe to say that this wasn’t just any toilet; it was Lennon’s toilet.
Elvis Presley’s Hair
Elvis Presley’s hair became an unexpectedly high-value item when it was auctioned off in 2002. A man who had once been the King’s barber decided to sell clippings he’d kept from the 1950s and 1960s, offering fans a chance to own a tangible piece of the King’s iconic look.
The auction saw the hair fetch a staggering $115,120, setting a record for the most expensive hair ever sold. While it may sound like an unsettling purchase, there’s no denying that for diehard Elvis fans, this was the ultimate keepsake—tangled with celebrity, rock history, and nostalgia.
Scarlett Johansson’s Used Tissue
When Scarlett Johansson sneezed during a 2008 appearance on The Tonight Show, the world’s most unusual collectible was born. After she blew her nose on a tissue Jay Leno handed her, she signed it and put it up for auction to raise money for charity. The tissue, covered in both lipstick and nasal fluid, fetched an eye-popping $5,300.
While many might find the idea of buying someone else’s tissue utterly repulsive, the fact that it was signed by Johansson turned it into a highly coveted piece of memorabilia for a fan with too much money and too little sense.
Russell Crowe’s Jockstrap
During the filming of Cinderella Man in 2004, Russell Crowe wore a jockstrap that would eventually become the centerpiece of a bizarre auction. In 2018, Crowe decided to part with it at a “divorce auction,” and the item fetched $7,000. The jockstrap, though worn during the filming of a popular movie, seemed to have an uncanny appeal, with one English TV personality purchasing it to serve as a novelty item for a struggling Blockbuster store.
Whether the jockstrap was a symbol of Crowe’s rugged masculinity or just an odd piece of memorabilia is up for debate, but the price paid was undeniably high.
Kiss Kasket
Gene Simmons and his iconic band, Kiss, are no strangers to extravagant and sometimes outlandish merchandise. In 2001, the band launched the Kiss Kasket, a coffin adorned with the band’s logo and images of the members. For $3,300, fans could ensure that even their final resting place could scream rock ‘n’ roll.
The band also sold urns for fans who wanted to store their ashes in a Kiss-themed container. Despite the macabre nature of the product, it sold well, and, in a rather morbid twist, Pantera guitarist ‘Dimebag’ Darrell was among the first notable figures to be laid to rest in one of these iconic coffins.
Justin Timberlake’s French Toast
Who knew that leftover French toast could be worth more than a luxury vacation? In 2000, during an interview with Z-100, Justin Timberlake was served a burnt piece of toast that he promptly declined. This seemingly unremarkable moment became the basis for one of the most bizarre celebrity memorabilia sales in history.
The toast was put up for auction, where a fan paid over $1,000 for the two slices. What’s even stranger is that the buyer, a 19-year-old NSYNC fan, intended to freeze-dry it and display it on her dresser. A piece of breakfast history, forever immortalized.
Jennifer Lawrence’s Sports Bra
When Jennifer Lawrence auctioned off one of her sports bras from her role in Silver Linings Playbook in 2013, she likely didn’t expect it to become one of the hottest items in memorabilia history. The bra, which was sold as part of a larger film collection, sold for $3,175.
It was one of several pieces of memorabilia from Lawrence’s Oscar-winning year, and though the sale may have raised eyebrows, it also set a precedent for the commodification of celebrity clothing. Fans were willing to pay top dollar for a piece of Hollywood history, even if it was a sweaty sports bra.
William Shatner’s Kidney Stone
In 2006, William Shatner decided to auction off a kidney stone he had passed during filming of Boston Legal. As strange as it may sound, the item sold for a remarkable $25,000. The sale was for a good cause, with the proceeds going to the charity Habitat for Humanity, but the idea of owning a piece of someone’s body, especially one as personal as a kidney stone, was a bit of a tough sell.
That said, the item attracted interest from all sorts of bidders, including an online casino, which snatched it up and displayed it alongside other quirky collectibles. It’s safe to say that Star Trek fans probably wouldn’t have imagined this type of memorabilia from Captain Kirk.
Conclusion
These outlandish celebrity items prove that the world of high-priced memorabilia knows no bounds. From used tissues to body parts, fans have shown a willingness to spend absurd sums for items tied to their favorite celebrities. Whether it’s an expression of devotion, a desire for uniqueness, or simply the allure of owning something one-of-a-kind, these sales serve as a fascinating glimpse into the world of celebrity obsession.
As the demand for these bizarre artifacts continues, we can only wonder what strange item will be next to fetch a fortune.
