Some people are fans of musicians. And others are downright fanatical. For better or worse there are folks out there ready to fork over plenty of hard-earned cash for an everyday item, just because it has been owned, signed, or in one case, grown, by their favorite artist, and then recovered by an enterprising somebody. Click through for some of recent music history’s strangest examples.
The Site of Bob Dylans’ Bar Mitzvah
In 1954 Bob Dylan had his bar mitzvah at was then called the Agudath Achim Synagogue in Hibbing, Minnesota. The building has since become a residence, and is now on the market. Current owners Eric and Brenda Shafer-Pellinen are asking for $119,000.
Wooden Spoon Autographed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Here’s one item you can still grab. Before a screening of a films by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, the couple handed out signed wooden spoons to the audience in London in 1969. It looks like you get one for a cool 695 pounds these days.
Elvis’ Hair and Prescription Drug Bottles
In 2002 a clump of Elvis’ hair sold for an astonishing $115,000. Other pieces of his hair sell at auction rather frequently, as does plenty of other King memorabilia. His prescription drug bottles regularly go for $800 to $1200.
Elton John’s “Rubbish”
An enterprising housekeeper of “Tiny Dancer” singer decided to take a few items that John was going to throw out anyway to auction. The “discarded rubbish” included old platform shoes, shirts, and ties.
Cher’s Bra
Cher put one of her black bras up for auction for her charitable foundation in 2007. Hard Rock Hotel won it, for an undisclosed amount.
Michael Jackson’s Charred Hair
In 1984 an pyrotechnical accident singed some of Michael Jackson’s hair while filming a Pepsi ad. Shortly after his death, 12 strands of that charred hair sold by the ad’s executive producer, Ralph Cohen, for 1,140 pounds.
Ozzy Osbourne’s Lamp
In 2006 a small fire started in the famed household of the Prince of Darkness. The culprit? A bronze lamp shaped in the figure of a female nude. It went for $2,000 on the block.
Kurt Cobain’s Hair Coloring Bottle and MTV Letter
At a memorabilia auction in 1996 a lucky fan bought a hair-color bottle belonging to rocker Kurt Cobain for a mere $175. Nirvana fans just missed another shot at owning a piece of rock history: the angry letter penned to MTV by the lead singer just sold for $12,800 on Julienslive.com last week.
Suge Knight’s Boxer-Briefs
When Death Row Records was forced to liquidate its assets in 2009, it got personal pretty quickly. The auction priced exec Suge Knight’s boxer-briefs at $5. They went for $1.
Justin Timberlake’s Half-Eaten French Toast
You know what’s cool? Justin Timberlake’s half-eaten French toast, apparently to the tune of $1,024. That’s what one superfan paid for the N*Sync singer’s breakfast leftovers.