The Weirdest Celebrity Items Auctioned Range From Gross to Cool
Some of the weirdest celebrity items auctioned off have been pretty gross, including hair and nail samples. Here's a look at some of the weirdest.
Mar. 28 2023, Published 3:37 p.m. ET
Robert Downey, Jr. attended the Walk of Fame ceremony for actor pal Jon Favreau recently. Find out what auction item came from the event.
It isn't a secret that celebrity auctions can fetch massive sums of money, often for charitable causes. If you haven't frequented an auction house or perused an online celebrity auction, no worries. We've got a roundup of some of the weirdest celebrity items auctioned in history, and how much people were willing to pay for them.
It may seem strange to everyone else when a person bids hundreds or even thousands of dollars to own something that was worn by a celebrity, like props from a movie, but it gets even weirder. Celebrities have auctioned off things like a used Kleenex and samples of their hair. Check out these super-weird (often gross) auctioned celebrity items.
1. Someone is trying to sell Robert Downey Jr.'s chewed gum.
According to an eBay listing, someone is auctioning off what they claim is Robert Downey Jr.'s chewed-up gum. The seller noted, "I happened to be in the area during the event which had famous actor and producer Jon Favreau being added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. During the event, Robert Downey Jr. put his gum on the Star and presumably left it there, which I was able to snag. I’m selling it in the same condition I got it in and it can be tested for his DNA."
This hopeful seller is listing the alleged RDJ gum for $55,000 in Canadian dollars, or about $40,147. As of March 28 at 12:00 p.m., no bids had been made, but perhaps this seller will luck out and find a buyer.
2. Elvis Presley's hair was auctioned off in 2009.
A chunk of Elvis' hair prior to an auction in 2009.
A chunk of Elvis Presley's hair, reportedly from his Army days, started at bids of around $8,000–$12,000. CNN notes that it ended up selling for $18,300 in 2009.
3. X-rays of Marilyn Monroe's chest were once auctioned off.
X-ray images from a 1954 doctor visit made by Marilyn Monroe led to a major auction 56 years later. Buzzfeed said that though the x-rays of her chest were expected to fetch around $3,000, the images brought in $45,000.
4. John Lennon's tooth was once auctioned off.
A former housekeeper for musician John Lennon put up one of his teeth for auction. CNN reported that the winning bid on the tooth was about $31,000, and it was bought by a Canadian dentist.
5. Justin Bieber's hair also brought in big bucks at auction.
Justin Bieber during an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
Talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres put up a lock of Justin Bieber's hair for auction to benefit an animal-rights group. MTV reported that it sold for $40,668.
6. William Shatner sold his kidney stone.
In 2006, William Shatner decided to auction off his already-removed kidney stone. A housing charity received $25,000 from the sale of the odd item.
7. David Bowie's hair also brought in thousands at auction.
Thanks to David Bowie cutting off a lock of hair to make his wax figure at Madame Tussauds in London in 1983, a 2016 buyer got a piece of musical history. A wig maker at the wax museum kept the lock for decades and put it up for auction soon after his death. Although the hair was expected to be worth $4,000, the buyer paid $18,750.
8. A fake fingernail worn by Lady Gaga sold for thousands.
Lady Gaga at the 95th Academy Awards.
Fetching a price of $12,000, a broken acrylic nail worn by Lady Gaga was a successful auction piece in 2013. It was reportedly recovered by a stage crew member after a performance.
9. John Oliver purchased Russell Crowe's jockstrap.
John Oliver was the winning bidder for the jockstrap worn by Russell Crowe for Gladiator. Oliver announced the purchase in 2018 on his HBO show Last Week Tonight, and the show bought it for about $7,000.
10. A dog bowl used by Joan Rivers' terrier was auctioned off.
An anonymous bidder paid about 30 times the estimated price for the Tiffany dog bowl used by Joan Rivers' terrier.
11. Scarlett Johannson's used tissue brought in some money at auction.
In 2008, while speaking with host Jay Leno on The Tonight Show, actress Scarlett Johannson blew her nose and saved the tissue. She auctioned it for charity, netting $5,300.
12. Justin Timberlake's French toast also made the cut.
Leftover French toast from Justin Timberlake was auctioned off on eBay after he'd appeared on a radio show. A 19-year-old fan from Wisconsin bought the leftovers for $1,025.
