There are many charity auction items that have proven themselves over and over to be guaranteed crowd pleasers.
These items can be found on just about every biddable item itinerary for charity fundraisers across the globe. Companies in this business, like UK’s famous Superstars, who work together with charities and fundraisers to create a successful event, offer charity auction items that are sure sellers. Travel packages, signed memorabilia, bar crawls, antiques… Items such as these are sure to bring in the bids without breaking the bank, or driving your event organizers crazy, however, this is a different list.
Out of sheer morbid curiosity, we’ve compiled a list of the rarest, wildest, and absolutely craziest items that have ever been sold in the name of the greater good. Buckle your safety harnesses and secure those bidding paddles, because this is going to get weird.
- Justin Bieber’s Hair
So, we can all pretty much agree that Belieber’s can easily be categorized as “crazed fans”, but when the baby-faced star decided to put a few of his tresses up for auction on eBay, no one expected the over $40,000 winning bid. Luckily, that particular fan was able to give many animals at the rescue organization the auction was fundraising for, something to believe in.
- Brangelina’s Bad Breath
So, whether or not halitosis was actually involved, we can’t really say- but what we do know for sure is that a jar, purportedly containing exhaled hair from the now defunct couple sold for almost $600. Whether or not it actually contained the breath of the star crossed lover is up for debate. Could just be a load of hot air.
- A 200-year-old Stuffed Bird
And not just any bird, but a massive taxidermist ostrich that came from “Little Versailles”, a famous palatial compound in Italy. Setting back the bidder a whopping $33,150. Bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase “A bird in the hand”.
- Monica Lewinsky’s Knickers
As if the infamous blue dress wasn’t enough to incite the rage of constituents across a nation, Bill and Monica’s tawdry affair just got a little more creepy. Thirty-two pieces of former police evidence in the famous case went up for auction, and the intern’s nightie was amongst the lot that went for an impressive $12,000 bid. Giving us all the evidence we need to truly believe that gentlemen do kiss and tell.
- A 65-year-old Piece of Cake
And you thought your wedding cake was expensive. This year, a piece of the fruit cake served at the 1947 royal wedding of Queen Elizabeth II to the Duke of Edinburgh sold for near $1,000. So, if you’re a fan of royals weddings, you can now have your cake… but we don’t suggest eating it.
- Christmas Dinner Leftovers
You’ve heard correctly. While this particular item would make a bit more sense if the crispy green balls of half-eaten Brussels sprouts had belonged to a celebrity or favorite monarch, this particular item didn’t have a famous owner. Make-A-Wish foundation Uk was still able to pull an impressive £34 for the leftovers.
- The Tooth and Detention Slip of John Lennon
The detention slip, we can understand. Owning proof of John Lennon’s bad boy persona is a bit dreamy for any Beatles fan- but a tooth? The only thing about this item that stops it from giving the full-on chills was that it was purchased by a Canadian Dentist. But the £19,000 he paid for it definitely gives us a bit of jaw pain.
- JT’s (partially eaten) French Toast
Continuing the thread of “weird stuff formerly belonging to celebrities that people buy”, in 2000 a local radio station put up Justin Timberlake’s half-eaten breakfast as a bit of a joke- but were surprised when the item was sold for over $1000. What’s more surprising still is that someone can actually leave a plate of French toast unfinished.
- Scotch
Not exactly the weirdest sounding item on the list, until you discover that it was sold for more than $1.1 million. The sixty-year-old bottle of Macallan Valerie Adams 1926 broke records as the most expensive bottle of whiskey ever purchased. Only 24 bottles of this particular limited cask exist. Another sold for $1 million just a month before, and no one knows just how many remain of the original bottling.
- The Banksy Painting
Okay, so you’ve probably heard about this one- but we can’t help but tell the story again and again. In October of last year, the famed and controversial street artist “Banksy” offered bidders at Sotheby’s a rare opportunity to own a framed piece of his iconic art. Shortly after selling the painting for $1.4 million, the frame proceeded to shred the painting in an elaborate self-destruct prank. Leaving the “Girl with the Red Balloon” in shreds on the floor.
