1 / 9Maurizio Cattelan’s $6.2 million banana | In 2019, Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan debuted his conceptual artwork titled ‘Comedian’ at Art Basel Miami. The piece — a banana duct-taped to a wall — challenged viewers to rethink the boundaries of art. Initially sold for $120,000, it gained renewed attention in 2024 when Chinese cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun bid $6.2 million for the piece at Sotheby’s. Cattelan described the artwork as a “provocation,” questioning how society assigns value to art. The sale included a certificate of authenticity and instructions for replacing the banana once it rots. This simple fruit, elevated to an art object, now holds its place among iconic absurdities in art history.
2 / 9The last violin played on the Titanic | Few stories capture tragedy and heroism like the Titanic. One of its enduring legends is the band that played on as the ship sank. Wallace Hartley, the bandleader, perished, but his violin was recovered strapped to his body. In 2013, over a century later, this violin sold for $1.7 million at auction, making it the most expensive Titanic artefact ever sold. The haunting piece remains a symbol of resilience amidst disaster.
3 / 9J.K. Rowling’s writing chair | For Harry Potter fans, a piece of literary history went under the hammer in 2016 when J.K. Rowling’s chair sold for $394,000. The worn oak chair, where Rowling penned ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ and ‘Chamber of Secrets,’ came with a letter from the author detailing its sentimental value. While she lamented parting with it, she joked that her back was grateful.
4 / 9John Lennon’s porcelain toilet | Imagine spending $15,000 on a toilet — yet that’s exactly what a Beatles fan did in 2010. This floral-patterned porcelain toilet once belonged to John Lennon at his Tittenhurst Park estate, where he recorded ‘Imagine.’ When Lennon replaced it, he humorously suggested using it as a planter. Instead, it became an unusual but treasured piece of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia.
5 / 9Queen Victoria’s knickers | In 2015, a pair of Queen Victoria’s cotton bloomers fetched $16,300 at auction. Bearing her initials ‘VR’ (Victoria Regina), the undergarments offered a glimpse into the personal life of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch at the time. Adjustments to the waistband revealed changes in her stature during her later years, exciting royal collectors.
6 / 9Elvis Presley’s hair lock | A bag of Elvis Presley’s hair, saved by his barber and dyed jet black during his lifetime, sold for $115,000 in 2002. Other Elvis-related collectibles, like his gold-leaf grand piano and stage outfits, have also commanded high prices. The legacy of the King of Rock’n’ Roll lives on, not just in music but in auction rooms worldwide.
7 / 9Marilyn Monroe’s white dress | Marilyn Monroe’s iconic halter dress from ‘The Seven Year Itch,’ famously billowing over a subway grate, sold for $4.6 million in 2011. The sale was part of Debbie Reynolds’ legendary Hollywood memorabilia collection. The dress immortalised Monroe as a sex symbol and fetched one of the highest prices for film costumes.
8 / 9Albert Einstein’s ‘theory of happiness’ | In 1922, Albert Einstein jotted his musings on happiness on hotel stationery in Tokyo, gifting them to a bellboy in lieu of a tip. The notes included gems like, “A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness.” Nearly a century later, these notes sold for $1.56 million at an Israeli auction, proving that even intangible wisdom can hold extraordinary value.
9 / 9Justin Timberlake’s leftover French toast | In one of the quirkiest auction tales, Justin Timberlake’s half-eaten French toast sold for $1,025 in 2000. A teenage fan, Kathy Summers, won the eBay bid and declared she would freeze-dry and preserve the toast as a unique collectible.
