The 20 Weirdest Things Ever Sold on eBayThursday, Sept. 3, marks the 20th anniversary of eBay. The online auction site is celebrating its birthday with a two-day conference in California, but we're celebrating by taking a look back at the most outrageous items that went up for auction — and then actually sold.At any given time, there are 800 million listings on eBay, but few of them are as bizarre as the following 20.A grilled cheese sandwich, which purportedly bore a portrait of the Virgin Mary, sold for $28,000 in 2004. The Florida woman who had made it 10 years earlier said it never went moldy.Clippings of Justin Bieber’s hair fetched $40,668 in 2011. The pop star had gifted his hair to Ellen DeGeneres, who decided to put them up for auction. The proceeds went to an animal rescue organization.A latex Casey Anthony mask, originally made for a parody video, sold for $999,900 in 2011. It was billed as "possibly the most frightening mask on the planet."Justin Timberlake's half-eaten French toast, left behind after an interview with a New York radio station, sold for $1,025 in 2000.
A DJ put the leftover breakfast up for auction, and a 19-year-old superfan placed the winning bid.Ad space on a guy's forehead, in the form of a temporary tattoo, went for $37,375 in 2005. A company called SnoreStop used web developer Andrew Fischer's face to advertise its snoring remedy.A suit of armor for a guinea pig fetched $1,150 in 2013. The creator promised that the tiny hand-made suit (and matching helmet) would keep a "guinea pig protected and secure in all situations."Former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's tie, which he wore when he confessed to smoking crack at a 2013 news conference, sold for $1,445 in 2015. The so-called "crack tie" featured logos of several NFL teams.Pharrell's infamous brown fedora, which he wore at the 2014 Grammy's, sold for $44,100. Fast food chain Arby's, which had pointed out that Pharrell's hat greatly resembled the one in its logo.A fun-filled weekend with four Australian men went for about $920 in 2006. The men said they wouldn't pay for travel costs, but promised a weekend full of "some beers, some snags, some good conversation and a hell of a lot of laughs."
Princess Beatrice’s royal wedding hat, which some likened to a toilet seat, sold for $131,648 in 2011. Proceeds went to UNICEF and Children in Crisis.William Shatner's kidney stone fetched $25,000 in 2006, raising money for a housing charity. "This takes organ donors to a new height, to a new low, maybe," the actor said. "How much is a piece of me worth?"A lunch with Warren Buffet sold for $2.3 million in 2015. The chairman of Chinese gaming company Da Lian Zeus Entertainment placed the winning bid, and proceeds went to charity. (The previous year, a Singaporean businessman paid $2.2 million for the annual lunch.)A corn flake shaped like Illinois went for $1,350 in 2008. Two sisters from Virginia (not Illinois) put it up for sale, and the owner of a trivia website bought it for his traveling museum.A Dorito shaped like the Pope's hat sold for $1,209 in 2005. , also known for buying the Virgin Mary grilled cheese.A barbecue pit the size of a bus, which stretched 75 feet in length and featured seven smokestacks, sold for $350,000 in 2015.
Dubbed "The Indisputable Cuz," it can cook four tons of meat at once.A box of 10 Twinkies sold for $59.99 back in 2012, following the announcement that Hostess was closing its factories. Panic spread, and many Twinkie-hoarding entrepreneurs hoped to cash in.The original Hollywood sign sold for $450,400 in 2005. The seller had bought the sign two years before from a man who acquired it after the city put up a new sign in 1978.The meaning of life sold for $3.26 in 2000. The seller wrote, "I have discovered the reason for our existence and will be happy to share this information with the highest bidder." Eight people were curious enough to place bids.A single corn flake sold for about $1.63 (£1.20) in 2004. The seller, an English university student, said "there were no takers at first." eBay had told him to withdraw the listing because he had no "Best Before" date, but he managed to complete the transaction just in time.Britney Spears' (alleged) pregnancy test, acquired by an Ottawa radio station, went for $5,001 in 2005.
It was apparently found in the garbage outside Spears' Los Angeles home. .Read Next: Everything to Know About eBay in One Graphic9 2003 A visualization of routing paths of the Internet on July 8, 2003, shows how the Internet was predominantly overrun by North America. There was less connectivity in Europe and1 of 9The intrinsic value and historical appeal of gold coins make them highly sought after by both collectors and investors alike. Gold coins are a valuable investment, especially in stressed economic times as a way to diversify an investment portfolio. Rare gold coins have wide appeal as collectors' items and can increase in value exponentially over time. This guide provides purchasers with a deeper understand of the factors that affect the value of gold coins and steps to take to maintain an investment. At Heritage Auctions, we believe information should be available to all to ensure the learning curve is made less steep and less expensive for new collectors and sellers. This article is intended for information purposes only and is not to be considered investment advice.
In addition to their historical significance, gold coins are an investment. Some of the advantages for purchasing gold coins include: Recent Auction Prices (great valuation tool) Sell one like this Three and Four Dollar Gold Pieces Commemorative Gold (1984 and later) When it comes to investing in gold coins, it is advantageous to understand some of the commonly used terms associated with precious metal investing. A means of guaranteeing the quality and purity of gold or silver. Small nicks and abrasion marks coins may receive during initial transportation process. New coins that are in immaculate condition and have never been in circulation. The difference between buying and selling prices relative to the spot price. Coins that have been distributed and used as public currency. The grade of a coin (Mint State, Extremely Fine, etc.) The year of issue for a coin. An evaluation of the amount of wear on a coin. The Sheldon scale rates coins from 1- 70 numerically, while the adjective scale runs from Basal to Mint State.
Color considerations and strike quality can also be factors in grading. Coins that can be used as national currency. The ease of buying and selling. The facility that manufactured the coin. The front side of a coin, usually depicting a head or face. Refers to how many coins have been certified by a given grading service in that particular grade. These coins have been struck with special dies that create greater pressure for a more highly polished and clear design. Collectible and often trade at higher premiums. The percentage of precious metal content of a coin. The back side of a coin. The up-to-date value of a precious metal determined by latest market trades. The weight of a coin. The following table lists advantages and disadvantages of purchasing the various types of physical forms of gold. Thin, circular discs that have legal tender status and are produced by government mints Considered collectible Potential for tremendous growth value
Uncirculated coins go for a slightly higher premium above spot than bars and rounds Thin, rectangle-shaped and are minted by private companies Stackable Ease to store and transport Low premium over spot price Thin, circular discs minted by private companies or government and do not have status as legal tender Although gold as a form of currency has been traced back as far as the Bronze Age, it is the Lydian king Croesus who is generally credited with introducing gold into commerce in 6 century BC. After the decline of the Roman Empire just after 400 AD, gold coins largely disappeared due to a shortage of gold supplies. Europe began to grow in the 1200s, with Venice and Florence becoming important trade cities that both issued gold coins that were known for their purity and widely accepted in trade. In 1266 Louis IX issues the first regal gold coinage in France with the introduction of the "ecu," while Edward III followed suit in 1344 with the "florin" as England's first regular gold coinage.