Most of us are probably already aware that some people out there spend thousands of dollars for the craziest things. But these items take the cake—with lots of money spent on things that are allegedly haunted, cursed, or linked to crazy deaths or happenings. Some are just incredibly creepy looking.

It’s unclear why some people pay this much money for things that others would gladly get rid of, but their stories are surely interesting to read. These 10 incredibly scary items are worth far more than any sane person would spend on them.

10 The Cursed Artwork Painted With Blood

The existence of the oil painting officially known as The Anguished Man was first revealed in a story from Northern England. Sean Robinson claimed that his grandmother had kept this painting in her attic for 25 years and had reported a ton of paranormal phenomena occurring in her home.^[1]

She saw a dark figure of a man and heard weird noises, including crying. She also reported that the man committed suicide and used his own blood in the painting alongside the oils.

After his grandmother died, Sean got the painting. It stayed in his basement until strange things started to happen—the same weird noises and crying that his grandmother had experienced. She had warned him that the painting was evil, but Sean and his family weren’t prepared for this much.

Although the painting couldn’t be brought into your own home, you once could buy it for a whopping £1,500. Supposedly, it is no longer for sale.

9 Doll Haunted By A 20-Year-Old Woman’s Soul

This creepy doll was found on eBay of all places. The seller claimed that it’s haunted by the spirit of a 20-year-old woman called Diana. The doll goes by the same name. Although the vendor claims that the experiences are mainly for entertainment and aren’t guaranteed to work for everyone the same way, it’s still very creepy and quite expensive, too.

According to the seller, the doll is constantly causing multiple weird phenomena, such as neighbors seeing “phantom children” and swings moving on their own. Supposedly, Diana is a huge fan of different feminine accessories and products.^[2]

Although this is anecdotal evidence at best, you’d still have to be extremely brave to buy this—or any creepy porcelain doll for that matter. At $1,250, the temptation may not be that high.

8 1:1 Annabelle Replica

Here’s another one from eBay. Although this incredibly good—and expensive—replica is said to have no paranormal qualities, this prop is based on The Conjuring and Annabelle movies, which were inspired by real stories from Ed and Lorraine Warren. They were real-life demonologists who dealt with the actual Annabelle doll.

Although the real one looks different from this prop or the one in the movies, it’s undeniable that this one looks much creepier. It still has that scary, mysterious vibe that you just don’t want in your home. Given how the real doll was said to appear in different places in the house and to be one of the most haunted objects ever to exist, we’d probably pass on this doll. The almost $2,500 price tag is an extra reason for that.^[3]

7 The Psycho Pot

A pot?

Yes, a pot—an old, metal one that belonged to a man named Ed Gein. He was a famous serial killer in the 1950s who reportedly murdered people, skinned their cut-up body parts, and turned them into clothing items and furniture. The pot in question is what he used to hold those parts of his victims.

Ed Gein’s story was used as the basis of plenty of Hollywood horror classics, including The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Silence of the Lambs. Although Gein became a great example of a psychopathic serial killer in the eyes of film directors, the little pot here isn’t a movie replica or prop.

It’s the real thing, bought by Zak Bagans from Ghost Adventures.^[4] He thinks it would be nice to display in his home and gladly spent $2,800 to buy it from a woman who used it as a flower pot. Whether he regrets his allegedly haunted purchase remains to be seen.

6 The Black Orlov Diamond

One of the most expensive items on our list, the Black Orlov diamond fetched an insane $352,000 last time it was auctioned in 2006. The estimated price is constantly rising. Today, it could be worth approximately $1 million. Although its curse has apparently been broken, its dark history is not to be forgotten.^[5]

Originally from India, the Black Orlov diamond is rumored to have been one of the eyes of a statue of Brahma, a Hindu creator god. Stolen from its original place, the diamond was directly linked to three mysterious, unexplained suicides of its past owners.

The diamond was recut in the 1950s, which supposedly broke its curse. Actress Felicity Huffman even wore the diamond at the Oscars in 2006. Still, the story of the Black Orlov diamond gives us goose bumps.

5 Dr. Kevorkian’s Van

Also owned by Zak Bagans, this van once belonged to the infamous Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Nicknamed the “Death Bus” by some, the rusty 1968 Volkswagen van looks incredibly creepy and was the place where the doctor performed some of his approximately 130 assisted suicides.

Bagans really is the kind of person who would buy something like this.^[6] After the purchase, he displayed it in his paranormal-themed museum alongside other creepy items. He definitely isn’t afraid to spend money on eerie things.

The van doesn’t even start anymore, but Bagans is happy with his purchase. He managed to get it for $32,500.

4 The Crying Boy Painting

Made by an Italian artist, The Crying Boy painting is a mass-produced artwork with a curse to its name and shared stories that quickly gained popularity. The painting was linked to tales of injury, the sound of children’s cries in houses with no kids, and lots of houses burning down. The painting was always the only thing left untouched in the fire.

Although these stories are surrounded by plenty of skepticism, the painting has been observed to have a substance that prevents it from burning to some extent. The legacy of the painting is undeniable. With a price tag that can be over $5,000 for an original painting (not one of the prints), we want The Crying Boy even less than before.^[7]

3 Michael Jackson’s Chair

As its name suggests, this chair was indeed owned by Michael Jackson. Furthermore, it’s from his death room and was originally used by his doctor when monitoring Jackson while he was on propofol. The drug, which led to MJ’s tragic death, is typically administered as an anesthetic.

Zak Bagans bought the chair and claims that it still has some of Michael’s makeup stains.^[8] Although it’s unclear whether the chair has produced anything paranormal so far, it’s not the nicest furniture to own given its story. But Bagans is greatly interested in collecting potentially paranormal items and considers MJ’s chair a good deal at around $15,000.

2 The Basano Vase

At first glance, the Basano vase is merely an old Italian vase. But as you’ve probably noticed with the other items, just because something is seemingly simple doesn’t mean it can’t be horrifying.

Originally made from carved silver, the vase is rumored to have been a wedding gift for a 15th-century Italian bride. In the end, the well-meaning present turned into something much scarier. On the night before her wedding (some sources say the next morning), the bride was found dying (or dead) with the vase in her hands.

Since then, the vase has been linked to many deaths and has been through countless owners. It’s now widely believed to be cursed. In the late 1980s, the vase was sold for 4 million lire, about $2,500 at the time. But it would be worth much more now.^[9]

1 The Hands Resist Him

The incredibly creepy painting, The Hands Resist Him, was made by Bill Stoneham in 1974. Although it’s the cheapest item on the list at $1,025, we felt that it had to be included.

The story of the painting started when a young girl constantly told her father that the children in the picture were fighting. The dad set up a motion-sensitive camera to show her that everything was okay, but he noticed instead that the boy was crawling out of the painting.

This artwork has been linked to reports of uneasiness, illness, and lots of paranormal phenomena, including hot air blasting from the painting and even three deaths. Some have claimed that just looking at the original eBay listing caused some paranormal happenings in their homes.^[10]

Just a curious guy who loves to write!

One might think that sporting an Hermes Birkin, Louboutin pumps, and a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses is super-classy. But these iconic fashion riches pale in comparison to the world’s best. If you had all the money in the world, would you consider buying the most-expensive hat, handbag, or underwear ever made? While you’ve been busy struggling to afford toilet paper, here are the delights that the bankers, CEOs, celebrities, and politicians have been enjoying.

10 Most Expensive And Delectable Desserts

10Men’s Dress Socks: Falke Vicuna Gentleman Socks, $1,000/pair

Cheap socks are for the birds. They have annoying seams. They stretch out and wear out. Worst of all, they fall down inside your shoes. Investing in quality socks is one way to ensure that your feet always remain encased in comfort.

To that end, Falke makes expensive socks. The luxury knitwear brand uses “only the best yarns” to create its luxury line of men’s legwear, a collection of “premium quality and the best craftsmanship.”

The company’s priciest socks, selling for about $1,000 a pair, are made of vicuna, one of the most expensive fabrics in the world. Vicuna is a fine, delicate wool that comes from the ultra-fine hair (and none of the coarse hairs) of the Peruvian vicuna.

Falke’s website describes the fabric like this: “The ‘fibre of the gods’ is obtained from the Purvian vicuna. Its fine, dense wool was valued as the rarest and most expensive in the world and was reserved for the highest nobility and the church, even in the time of the Incas.”

One vicuna (picture a really soft llama) produces about one pound of wool. Vicuna is too delicate to be dyed, so the very special socks are available in only one color: llama brown.

Because the fabric is so luxurious, it’s unreasonable to think that the Falke Knit Socks could be mass produced. Each pair is custom made–tailored to the wearer’s foot–and shipped in an elegant wooden box. Oh, and vicuna is said to boast unique warming properties. So your fancy feet will never get cold!^[1]

9Sunglasses: Chopard De Rigo Vision Sunglasses, $408,400

Sporting pricey Ray-Bans is a good way to protect your eyes with style. But if you really want to make a statement with eyewear, then you need something more deluxe. Chopard makes sunglasses and accessories from real gold that has been “ethically sourced.” When the design house partnered with De Rigo, another high-end eyewear brand, they created the ultimate sunglasses experience.

The Chopard De Rigo Vision Sunglasses are made with 60 grams of 24-carat gold and 51 individual four-carat River diamonds. In all, each golden pair features more than 200 carats of diamonds.

“The exclusive eyewear appeals to an explicit group of fashionistas,” according to a brand representative. The sunglasses premiered in Dubai where, thankfully, it’s usually sunny.^[2]

8Men’s Suits: Stuart Hughes Diamond Edition, $723,000

A suit worth nearly a million dollars? Yep. Luxury goods designer Stuart Hughes and tailor Richard Jewels teamed up to create the Diamond Edition suit. They made only three of these extravagant ensembles — no small wonder since each took more than 600 hours to stitch.

Like many high-end suits, the Diamond Edition is constructed of wool, cashmere, and silk. Unlike any other suit, however, it boasts more than 480 half-carat, single-cut diamonds. The gems are etched onto the exterior lining of the jacket with unexpected “bedazzled” results.

Good news: The suit is still in stock at the Stuart Hughes website. And each purchase comes with a bonus all-expense-paid trip to a luxury destination.^[3]

7Hat: Chapeau D’Amour, $2.7 million

The most expensive hat ever created is the $2.7 million Chapeau d’Amour, the “hat of love,” which was created by Louis Mariette in 2004. Made of woven platinum and encrusted with spectacular diamonds and amethyst, the hat was inspired by the designers love of ivy and bluebells.

Harrods approached Mariette to create something unique for the store’s new luxury millinery and wedding department. One of the main sponsors was the American Express Platinum card. The designer approached the project with absolute glee.

The Platinum Guild had already developed the rare platinum fabric that would serve as the base of the hat. Next came the ornamental Lady Amherst pheasant feathers. Mariette sat on the beach of a tiny island in the Indian Ocean as he hand embroidered the feathers onto the mesh-like fabric, which he said was “a total joy to work with.” The diamond supplier created special clasps that could hold the stones but still be removed for insurance and security purposes.

The Chapeau d’Amour traveled the world and now resides in the Cliveden House, which is surrounded by the forest of bluebells that provided Mariette’s inspiration. It is not for sale.^[4]

6Handbag: Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse, $3.8 million

Renowned jeweler Robert Mouawad from the House of Mouawad first offered the 1001 Nights Diamond Purse at a price of $3.8 million in 2010. One year later, the Guinness Book of World Records declared the elegant purse the most valuable in the world. The heart-shaped masterpiece is handcrafted from 18-karat gold and boasts 4,517 diamonds (105 yellow, 56 pink, and 4,356 colorless) weighing in at 381.92 carats. Ten highly skilled artisans worked for more than 8,800 man hours to create this dazzling bag.

The design is said to have been inspired by the Middle Eastern romantic fantasy, One Thousand and One Nights. The rare bejeweled purse has been shown at auctions in Hong Kong, Geneva, and London but remains up for grabs. Experts predict a new value of more than $5 million.^[5]

10 Creepy Items That Are Really Expensive

5Underwear: Victoria’s Secret Red Hot Fantasy Bra and Panties, $15 million

Victoria’s Secret has been creating multi-million-dollar bras for decades. In the 2001 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, Heidi Klum sported the $12.5 million Heavenly Star Bra, which heaved with 1,200 Sri Lankan pink sapphires and a 90-carat diamond. Four years later, Gisele Bundchen wore the equally expensive Sexy Splendour Fantasy Bra, which featured 2,900 pave diamonds, 22 rubies, and a 101-carat diamond set in 18-karat white gold.

But if you’re going to blow more than $10 million on a bra, wouldn’t it be nice to at least have a matching pair of undies? The Guinness World Record for the most expensive lingerie ever created goes to just such a set. Bundchen modeled the Red Hot Fantasy Bra and Panties on Victoria’s Secret’s 2000 runway. About 3,000 diamonds and 22 Thai rubies are encased in 28-karat white gold. The gemstones weigh about 1,300 carats (101 of which dangle from a single diamond). The price tag: $15 million.

Note: Technically, Victoria Secret’s Fantasy pieces are “underwear” and not intended to be worn poolside. If it’s pricey beachwear you’re after, consider Susan Rosen’s $27 million diamond bikini. The designer created the barely-there “swimsuit” for Molly Sims’ appearance in the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. The bikini, which features 150 carats of diamonds set in platinum, is the ultimate in the “fine art of opulence.”^[6]

4Shoes: Passion Diamond Shoes, $17 million

Recently featured on our list of expensive everyday items, we couldn’t leave these shoes off a list of luxury fashion items. In October 2018, the world’s most expensive shoes were launched. The luxurious Passion Diamond Shoes feature hundreds of flawless diamonds, including two perfect 15-carat stones. The real-gold stilettos, created by UAE-based Jada Dubai, are on display in the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai. The display size is 36 EU, but wealthy buyers can request any size made to order.

Note: One pair of Passion Diamond Shoes is equivalent to 23,448 pairs of Louboutin So Kate pumps, which run about $700 per pair.^[7]

3Watch: Chopard 201-Carat Watch, $26 million

Chopard, a luxury watch company in Switzerland, is known for precision timekeeping and jewelry. The company was founded in 1860 by Louis Ulysse Chopard, a 24-year old who aspired to develop precise pocket watches and chronometers. In the 1960s, Karl Scheufele III purchased Chopard.

The $26 million price of the 201-Carat Watch is an estimate. That’s because this one-of-a-kind watch is so expensive that there is no listing price. The beautiful timepiece features 874 high-grade diamonds in blue, white, and pink that weigh in at 163 carats. Three heart-shaped diamonds sit at the center of the watch: a 15.37-carat pink diamond, a 12.79-carat blue diamond, and an 11.36-carat white diamond.

To view the time, the wearer presses a special mechanism. The heart-shaped diamonds open like the petals of a flower to reveal the face of the watch, which boasts three pear-shaped yellow diamonds.^[8]

2Dress: Nightingale of Kuala Lumpur, $30 million

Faiyzali Abdulla is a well-known Malaysian fashion designer. Anything created by Abdulla is a big deal. And when that creation has a name like “Nightingale of Kuala Lumpur,” it’s a really big effing deal.

The $30 million dress, which was presented in 2009 at STYLO Fashion Grand Prix KL, is composed of the finest chiffon and silk taffeta. This extraordinary off-shoulder evening gown glitters with 751 diamonds (1,100 carats). The largest of the diamonds is a 70-carat Mouawad teardrop on the gown’s bustier.

The burgundy masterpiece, which features a 6-foot train, reportedly cost $23 million to create. Abdulla’s inspiration for the dress came from the 14th century Persian poem “The Rose and the Nightingale,” which was read aloud when the dress was presented.^[9]

1Jewelry: CTF Pink Star Diamond Ring, $71.2 million

Even small diamond rings are expensive. But the Pink Star is an “internally flawless pink 59.6-carat diamond.” The gemstone was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong in April 2017 for $71.2 million.

De Beers extracted the diamond from a mine in Africa in 1999. In its raw state, it was 132.5 carats. It took two years to cut and polish the diamond to perfection. At 2.69 cm by 2.06 cm (1.06 in. x 0.81 in.), it is the largest flawless fancy vivid pink diamond ever graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

The buyer of the Pink Star was Chow Fai Fook Enterprises, a Hong Kong conglomerate that has a chain of jewelry stores.

Note: The Pink Star holds the world record for the most expensive jewel ever sold. But the blue diamond holds the record for the most valuable price per carat at $3.93 million. In 2016, the 14.62-carat Oppenheimer Blue diamond sold for $57.5 million at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva.^[10]

Top 10 Most Expensive Items Sold That Don’t Actually Exist

Feces are waste—so they must not be valuable. We just dump it and forget all about it. This is even though some pieces of excrement out there are worth hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. And yet people actually pay sewer and water bills to get rid of their poop.

It’s not just human feces that are valuable, though. Animal excreta actually top the list. Most of the time, this is because their poop contains some material that can be used to make valuable products. In other cases, the poop itself is considered raw material or a valuable piece of history.

10 Ambergris

Ambergris is fecal gold. It’s rare enough that finding a big enough hunk of it can make you an instant millionaire. In 2016, three fishermen from Oman found a 80-kilogram (176 lb) piece of ambergris valued at $3 million. The same year, a UK couple found a 1.57-kilogram (3.46 lb) lump that sold for $70,000.^[1]

Humans have been using ambergris for over 1,000 years. Today, it is considered an important ingredient in the manufacture of perfumes. Centuries ago, people thought it was hardened sea foam or the poop of some large bird. We only got our answers in the 1800s, when whaling ships started hunting sperm whales for their valuable oils.

Sailors discovered that ambergris is produced by sperm whales. It is made of the beaks and other hard parts of squid and cuttlefish that the whales eat. Sperm whales cannot digest these hard parts and vomit them out instead. However, some manage to get into their intestines, where they get covered in ambergris.

The ambergris mass can remain inside the whale for several years until the animal either vomits or poops it out. Some also think that ambergris lumps occasionally become so large that they destroy the whale’s intestine, killing it. There are speculations that ambergris could also be produced by pygmy and dwarf sperm whales because of their similar diet.

9 Piero Manzoni’s Feces

Sometime in 1961, Italian artist Piero Manzoni decided to create some strange artwork with his feces. He pooped in 90 cans, sealed them shut, and put them on sale. He called them Merda d’Artista (Artist’s S–t) and labeled each can “Artist’s S–t, Freshly Preserved, Produced and Tinned in May 1961.” The price was determined by the cost of the same weight in gold.

Manzoni died in 1963, but his poop sells like hotcakes today. Tate art gallery in London acquired one for £22,350 ($30,000) in 2007. The same year, a second can auctioned for £81,000 ($108,000) in Milan. Another one sold for £182,500 ($242,000) in 2016. By 2017, they were worth around $300,000 and will cost millions of dollars within a few years.

Interestingly, Agostino Bonalumi, who worked with Manzoni at the time he canned his feces, said the cans actually contain plaster and not poop. Bonalumi added that Manzoni only called them canned poop because he wanted to prove that art collectors would buy any expensive item labeled as art, even if it is poop.

These claims could be true, considering that Manzoni had an eccentric habit of creating unusual artworks. He exhibited plain white sheets, boiled eggs, and a balloon as art during his life. He also sealed some papers inside a box and called it a work of art. He added that the sealed box should no longer be considered art the moment the seal is broken.

Bonalumi has dared buyers to open the cans to see if they really contain plaster. However, buyers are not interested in opening their cans over concerns that the value would tank.^[2] At least one can was opened in 1989. Its contents were wrapped, however, and the opener of the can did not unwrap them.

8 Elvis Presley

In 2012, light blue underwear worn by Elvis Presley went on auction. One account simply mentions that the underwear was stained around the crotch area, while another explicitly states that it was stained with poop. Elvis Presley wore the underwear under a jumpsuit he donned for a 1977 show.

The auction ended with the briefs unsold after several buyers offered to buy it for £5,000, which was £2,000 less than the £7,000 reserve price.^[3] The auctioneers had hoped it would sell for £10,000.

Other items owned by Elvis Presley were successfully sold at the auction. One was a Bible he had used since 1957. Elvis wrote notes in the Bible and underlined statements he found of interest. The Bible sold for £59,000, way above the expected £25,000.

7 Meter-Long Fossilized Poop

In 2012, an unnamed man dug up a 102-centimeter-long (40 in), brownish-yellow coprolite belonging to an unidentified animal that lived in what is now Toledo, Washington, millions of years ago (between six and 33 million, depending on the source). A coprolite is fossilized fecal matter.

The ancient poop sold at auction for $10,370 in 2014. However, some critics say the coprolite is actually a pseudo-coprolite. Pseudo-coprolites are materials that look like dung but are really something else. Critics think this one was made from volcanic ash that entered a swamp and turned into clay.

Skeptics reached this conclusion because the so-called coprolite did not contain anything that appeared to be digested matter. There was, however, a large amount of siderite, a mineral primarily made of iron. This indicates that it’s just a rock and not a coprolite.^[4]

6 Elephant Dung

The dung of elephants living in Thailand’s Golden Triangle is used to make one of the world’s most expensive coffees. The coffee is called Black Ivory and is made with coffee beans picked from the dung of elephants. The Golden Triangle itself is the area where the Thailand meets with the borders of Laos and Myanmar.

A pound of Black Ivory coffee sold for $500 as of 2012. A cup cost $50. The manufacturer says the coffee has a distinct, non-bitter taste because the beans have been processed by acids in the stomach of the elephant. Their taste has also been altered by the flavor of the sugarcane, banana, and whatever else the elephants consume.

A beer was also been made from elephant poop in 2013. It was called Un, Kono Kuro and was bottled by the Japan-based Sankt Gallen brewery, which marketed it as a chocolate stout, even though it does not contain chocolate but, again, coffee beans picked from the feces of elephants living in the Golden Triangle.

Un, Kono Kuro was quite pricey because the coffee beans are expensive. 35 grams of the elephant-refined coffee beans cost $100. The elephants produce just 1 kilogram of usable coffee beans for every 33 kilograms they consume.^[5] Nevertheless, Un, Kono Kuro sold out within minutes when put up for sale online. Sankt Gallen said they had plans to offer it on tap at their then-new Tokyo location.

5 Guano

Guano is the excreta of seabirds and bats and is used as fertilizer. It was a big deal in the 19th century, when the United States and other Europeans nations did almost anything to get their hands on it. Guano was so valuable that Peru, a major producer, funded most of its budget with the money it made from exporting it.

The United States was so interested in accessing guano that it passed the Guano Islands Act of 1856. The act allows US citizens to seize unclaimed guano-rich islands in the name of the United States. The US president can choose to include the island as a part of US territory and even defend it with military force. The law is still in the books and has never been repealed.^[6]

Peru and Spain also went to war after Spain seized Peru’s guano-rich Chincha Islands in 1864. The two-year-long Chincha Islands War ended with the defeat of Spain by the combined militaries of Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. Guano was also an indirect cause of the War of the Pacific (1879–1883) between Peru and Chile.

Peru still mines guano today, even though it no longer funds most of its budget with the money it makes from it. Most of the guano is used by local farmers, while a smaller portion is exported abroad as organic fertilizer.

4 Panda Dung

An Shi was a professor at Sichuan University in China. He was also the inventor of a process that allows farmers to use panda feces as fertilizer for their tea plants, for which he was awarded a patent in 2011. An said that tea made from the panda poop-fertilized plants could prevent cancer. There was a catch, though. He expected a kilogram of the tea to cost $69,000, making it possibly the world’s most expensive tea.^[7]

An said the panda dung fertilizer would work because bamboo prevents cancer. Bamboo is the primary diet of pandas. However, pandas only process 30 percent of the bamboo they consume. They pass the remaining 70 percent out of their bodies in their poop. An maintained that their dung will transfer its cancer-preventing properties to the tea when used as fertilizer.

Scientists were skeptical about An’s claims, though. There is no research to prove that tea grown with panda dung fertilizer can prevent cancer. They also didn’t understand how he arrived at a price for the tea before it was even produced.

3 Civet Cat Poop

Kopi luwak is also one of the world’s most expensive coffees. A cup sold for up to $90 in the US in 2015. In this case, the coffee is made with partially digested coffee beans picked from the feces of the civet cat. The civet cat is not a cat but a close relative of the mongoose.

These days, kopi luwak is made with coffee beans picked from the dung of civet cats reared under inhumane conditions in farms in Indonesia and Philippines. The civets are locked in cages that don’t provide enough room for them to roam around. They are fed with only coffee beans, even though they eat a variety of foods in the wild. The confinement takes its toll on the civets, causing them to behave abnormally. They run around in circles and inflict injuries on themselves.

Most kopi luwak sellers deny knowledge of these claims and insist that their coffee is only made with the poop of wild civets. However, skeptics say that would be impossible because the sellers cannot sustain their businesses with beans picked from the dung of wild civets.

Others say the supposedly smooth taste of kopi luwak is hype and nothing else. Four coffee tasters indicated this during a blind taste test involving six types of coffee, including kopi luwak. The tasters put kopi luwak in fourth place. The first-place coffee was ten times cheaper than the kopi luwak.^[8]

2 Jacu Bird Dung

Jacu bird coffee is yet another expensive coffee made from animal dung. As the name implies, it is made from the poop of the wild jacu bird that lives in Brazil.

Brazilian farmer Henrique Sloper de Araujo invented jacu bird coffee after he noticed jacus from the nearby national park were eating coffee beans in his 740-acre farm in Pedra Azul. Araujo already knew about kopi luwak and thought he could make something similar from the bird. He tracked the birds and checked their poop for undigested coffee beans.

In 2006, he first released jacu bird coffee. Currently, a kilogram of it costs £700. Araujo says the coffee is among the best in the world because the birds only consume the ripest coffee beans. He added that the birds also eat apricots, truffles, and berries, giving the coffee a distinct nut-like taste.^[9]

1 Lloyds Bank Coprolite

In 1972, construction workers discovered a 20-centimeter-long and 5-centimeter-wide (8 x 2 in) piece of human excrement while excavating in order to build a new branch of Lloyds Bank in York, England. Historians say the poop was passed by someone living in the Viking-ruled York sometime in the ninth century.

Historians added that the producer of the feces had intestinal problems and had been unable to poop for several days before dropping this. Tests revealed that he consumed a diet heavy on meat and bread. The poop is valued at $39,000. However, it is not currently for sale and is held at the Jorvic Viking Centre in York.^[10]

For most people in the developed world, the only animals they see are their pets. Unless you buy a purebred cat or dog, it’s highly unlikely that you broke the bank to get your kids a puppy for Christmas.

The animals we choose as pets are often inexpensive, but there are some critters out there that hardly anyone can afford. From cloned individuals to extremely rare breeds, these are the 10 most expensive animals ever sold.

Top 10 Bizarre Home Menageries

10 Stag Beetle

Most people are happy to pay a lot of money to get rid of insects. But some collectors still look at creepy crawlies with interest rather than disgust.

One species of beetle is so treasured that the rarest and largest of them can sell for thousands of dollars. The stag beetle is the most prized insect in Japan, and the big ones are incredibly rare. The species possesses bloodred mandibles alongside protruding antlers, which add to its value in the insect-adoring community.

The most money ever paid for a stag beetle was around $90,500 in 1999. The purchaser, a 36-year-old company president, bought it at Wakuwaku Land, a Tokyo specialty shop.^[1]

The beetle was worth so much due to its size. The average stag beetle reaches about 5.1 centimeters (2 in) in length, but the one in question was about 7.6 centimeters (3 in), making it rare and desirable to collectors. It’s unlikely that another specimen will sell for more money because breeders have since found a more productive method for producing these insects.

9 Sir Lancelot Encore

In 2008, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, family lost their beloved golden Labrador, Sir Lancelot, so they froze his DNA. That’s not what most people do when a pet passes away. Then again, most people can’t afford to spend $155,000 to have their pets cloned, either.

The Otto family reached out to a South Korean cloning firm to have their dog recreated from the frozen remains. Apparently, the Ottos placed the winning bid in an auction by the biotech firm, which was looking for someone willing to pay for the company to try something new.

The cloning of Lancelot was successful, and the family received a 10-week-old, 4.5-kilogram (17 lb) yellow Lab puppy a short time later. The new puppy, named Sir Lancelot Encore, was genetically identical to… well, to himself. He didn’t show up to an empty home as the Otto family had nine other dogs, 10 cats, four birds, and six sheep.^[2]

To finance the cloning, Mrs. Otto had to sell several pieces of expensive jewelry. But she had no regrets about bringing her beloved Lancelot back from the dead.

8 Yorkshire Boar

When most people think of pigs, they think of sizzling bacon to pair with their over-easy eggs and toast. Pigs are also becoming more popular as pets, although one of the most expensive pigs ever sold at auction was definitely not a pet.

In 2014, a Yorkshire boar (a male pig) sold at auction for $270,000. The pig, raised by Western Illinois University School of Agriculture Associate Professor Mark Hoge and his family, sold for $267,000 more than the second most expensive animal in its class.^[3]

The Yorkshire, or Large White, was initially bred for bacon but rose to prominence in the lean-meat category through the 1900s. Created by crossing the indigenous white pig of North England with the smaller, fatter, white Chinese pig, this breed is now the world’s most widely distributed.

7 Deveronvale Perfection

Some animals are worth a lot of money based on their appearance, rarity, or size. Other animals are treasured for their sperm. The latter is certainly true of Deveronvale Perfection, a pedigree Texel ram bred selectively via embryo transfer.

A Texel is a lean meat sheep, and this one sold in 2009 for a whopping £231,000. However, that’s a paltry sum compared to the amount of cash that Deveronvale Perfection will pull in from stud fees, which is the money charged to let your sheep get freaky with him.

The previous UK record holder, Tophill Joe, sold for £128,000 in 2003. That single sheep managed to earn a whopping £1 million in stud fees.^[4]

John Yates of the Texel Sheep Society said, “The staggering amount [paid for Deveronvale Perfection] surprised many. Many people see these animals as lamb chops, but these flocks are at the top of the genetic pile. This was the elite animal that stood out.”

Deveronvale Perfection was purchased by Jimmy Douglas, who said, “There was a photo of him in The Scottish Farmer. I had to have him.”

6 Armando

For most people, pigeons are little more than “rats with wings” that stop at nothing to poo on their cars. Despite the public’s general disdain for them, pigeons have been an important species of bird for thousands of years.

In fact, they are one of the oldest species of domesticated birds. People have eaten pigeons, strapped messages to their legs, and bred them for racing.

In 2019, one racing pigeon named Armando was sold to a Chinese businessman for a grand total of $1.4 million. The high price came from a bidding war that ended at record levels.^[5]

Armando was purchased for his ability to father a new generation of racing pigeons. Pigeon racing is especially popular in China, where record sales happen all the time.

In 2013, the previous record-holder, Bolt, sold for €310,000. Nikolaas Gyselbrecht of pigeon auction site PIPA explained, “You can compare it to artwork. A painting made by Picasso is worth more than one made by an unknown artist. It’s the same with this pigeon.”

10 Ageless Animals That Do Not Grow Old

5 Big Splash

Typically, people spend around $1,000 to $2,000 for a purebred puppy, depending on the breed. Some individuals spend more, but the average pedigree dog doesn’t hold a candle to the value ascribed to the Tibetan Mastiff.

These large, fluffy canines have been around for more than 5,000 years, and owning one is considered a status symbol in China. It’s rare to see them outside of Tibet, which is one reason why they are so costly. The most expensive one sold for $1.5 million to a coal baron from China.

The dog, named Big Splash (“Hong Dong” in Chinese), was considered to be “a perfect specimen.” The seller estimated that the dog could be rented out for studding for as much as 100,000 yuan.^[6]

Although that amount wouldn’t produce a profit on the original investment for a few years, the new owner wants no part in it. Big Splash was purchased as a status symbol. He will be treated like royalty with no expense spared for his care.

4 America

You’ve probably heard Wagyu beef described as the most expensive and delicious beef on the planet. But even those prized bulls haven’t gone for as much as “America,” the most expensive bull ever sold.

America is a specially bred Angus bull from North Dakota. In February 2019, the Schaff Angus Valley annual production sale closed the bidding on this Lot #1 bull at an impressive $1.51 million. America wasn’t destined for the dinner plate, though, as he was specially bred to stud.^[7]

The winning bidder was Herbster Angus Farms of Falls City, Nebraska, but the owner won’t relocate the bull. America will remain in North Dakota, where 20 percent of his semen proceeds will go to the farm. Herbster will retain 80 percent.

Bull semen isn’t cheap. When it comes to a bull like America, breeders can expect to shell out a hefty sum. Wagyu semen sells for tens of thousands. In 2019, an auction sold one batch for $67,000. The value of America’s semen is unclear, but it’s likely to reach Wagyu levels given America’s price at auction.

3 Koi

Japanese koi breeding has been an art form for hundreds of years. Through selective breeding, a drab-looking species of carp became a vibrantly colored and highly prized species of fish.

If you want koi to fill your pond, expect to pay a lot of money for the fish. The price goes up considerably when they are older and larger. Typically, koi can cost anywhere from a few bucks to a few thousand dollars. The high price comes from various factors, but the most notable is bloodline. Koi bloodlines are as highly valued as those belonging to pedigree dog breeds.

In 2017, the nine-year-old grand champion fish was sold for a whopping $1.8 million at auction at the All Japan Koi Show.^[8] This makes her the most expensive koi ever sold. Fortunately, she’s got a few years ahead of her.

Koi can live for up to 40 years. That means the grand champ will breed for a couple of decades and potentially make a boatload of money for her owner.

2 Pacific Bluefin Tuna

The rare Pacific bluefin tuna is the most expensive fish in the world. The fatty meat found in the underbelly can fetch a high price at any sushi restaurant. This is not the tuna you find in a can.

The world-famous Japanese fish market auctions off the largest bluefin tuna anywhere. When the season begins, the value skyrockets for the first specimen due to the status attributed to the winning bidder.

In early 2019, the aptly dubbed “Tuna King,” Kiyoshi Kimura, paid a record $3.1 million for a 278-kilogram (612 lb) Pacific bluefin tuna. With that move, Kimura smashed the old 2013 record of $1.4 million for the most expensive tuna purchase ever. Oh, Kimura had bought that one, too.^[9]

1 Fusaichi Pegasus

It’s hardly surprising that the most expensive animal ever sold was a thoroughbred. Horse racing is one of the oldest sports favored by the wealthy. When a horse wins one of the most prominent races in the world, it can fetch a lot of money in stud fees.

The most expensive horse ever purchased was named Fusaichi Pegasus. He was sold shortly after winning the Kentucky Derby in 2000. The actual amount paid wasn’t disclosed at the time of sale, but it has been estimated at $60–$70 million.^[10]

Thoroughbreds are prized for their genes, so the stud fees for Fusaichi Pegasus are no joke. He was taken to Ashford Stud near Versailles, Kentucky, where he commanded a stud fee of around $200,000. Since that time, he’s sired more than 75 Stakes winners worldwide, though the price of his services has dropped significantly.

In 2020, the stud fee for Fusaichi Pegasus was only $7,500. Despite siring several winners—including Roman Ruler, Haradasun, and Bandini—Fusaichi Pegasus is considered to be a disappointment as a stallion. But that’s likely due to the unprecedented price paid for him.

Top 10 Surreal Animals That Really Exist

About The Author: Jonathan is a graphic artist, illustrator, and writer. He is a Retired Soldier and enjoys researching and writing about history, science, theology, and many other subjects.

Dessert is either the reason you ate your meal in the first place or an afterthought when you convince yourself that you have just enough room left for a fun and tasty indulgence. Desserts rarely cost what we pay for our meals and almost never require a bank loan to get. That hasn’t kept some of the world’s more creative patissiers from setting the bar a little higher.

Whether it’s to raise money for a good cause or simply for promotional purposes, some restaurants and their chefs have gone out of their way to create delicious but unaffordable dishes. Were you so inclined and had the means to do so, you could partake in any of these 10 most expensive desserts from around the world.

10 La Madeline au Truffle
$250

Chocolate truffles aren’t normally cheap, but there are some you can pick up for a lot less than La Madeline au Truffle from Knipschildt Chocolatier in Norwalk, Connecticut. A single truffle will cost $250, or you could go ahead and splurge for 0.45 kilograms (1 lb) at a cost of $2,600.

The company describes the truffle like this: “La Madeline au Truffe starts with a decadent 70 percent Valrhona dark chocolate, heavy cream, sugar, truffle oil, and vanilla as the base for the rich decadent ganache.”^[1]

The dessert begins with a rare French Perigord truffle, which is surrounded by a rich ganache. It looks and sounds delicious, but much of the experience in eating one comes from the packaging.

They have created an ornate golden box for each truffle, but you can’t just walk in and purchase one. These are specially made to order, so you need to call ahead if you want to drop a car payment on a single truffle.

9 Beyond Gourmet Jelly Beans
$500

David’s “Beyond Gourmet” Jelly Beans were created by David Klein, the man behind Jelly Belly Jelly Beans. But unlike his run-of-the-mill candies that are seen all over the place, these are a bit different.

The gourmet variety isn’t encumbered with any of those pesky artificial flavors or colors—they are all natural! Granted, that’s not enough to up the price tag to $500 a jar. There’s something else going on here. Although the dozen flavors are all meant to be savored when eaten, it’s the jar that really gets you on the price.

The original launch of the candies had each bean coated in 24-karat gold leaf inside a beautifully ornate crystal jar.^[2] Fortunately, purchasing these candies has become somewhat more accessible to those of us who don’t want to drop $500 on the special packaging. It is possible to purchase a small sampler package without all that fancy gold or crystal nonsense . . . and it’s only $16!

8 Golden Opulence Sundae
$1,000

On the 50th anniversary of Serendipity 3, a restaurant in New York City, the owner wanted to do something special. So they created the Golden Opulence Sundae. Unlike almost any sundae you would find elsewhere, this one requires 48 hours notice before ordering and costs a whopping $1,000, making it the Guinness Book of World Records’ most expensive sundae when it debuted. Despite the high price tag, the restaurant sells one per month, and by all accounts, it’s delicious!

The 48-hour notice is required so they can order the various ingredients from different locations around the world. The ingredients consist of chocolate truffles and three scoops of Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream covered in 23-karat edible gold leaf. It even comes with some Grand Passion Caviar. The whole thing is topped off with gilded sugar and flakes of gold.

When you’re done eating, you even get to keep the $350 Baccarat Harcourt crystal goblet in which it was served.^[3]

7 The Golden Phoenix Cupcake
$1,000

If ice cream isn’t your thing and you still have $1,000 you want to transfer into something edible, the Golden Phoenix Cupcake may be for you! This salute to gold in the form of a cupcake can only be found in a lovely little bakery called Bloomsbury’s in the Dubai Mall.^[4]

The dessert consists of strawberries dipped in gold, Italian chocolate, and Ugandan vanilla beans. The icing that frosts the cupcakes is covered in edible gold dust, and when it’s all said and done, the whole thing is dusted in gold.

The Golden Phoenix Cupcake is even served with a golden spoon. This is important because edible gold doesn’t taste like anything, so eating this dessert with a golden spoon makes it a unique and satisfying experience.

Sadly, they don’t let you keep the spoon. But given the amount of gold eaten with this cupcake (thanks to the 23-karat edible gold sheets enveloping it), you probably aren’t missing too much.

6 Krispy Kreme’s Luxe Doughnut
$1,685

Krispy Kreme is well-known for being able to churn out thousands of doughnuts every day in their stores, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be fancy when they want to! Back in 2014, Krispy Kreme debuted what it called the “most expensive” doughnut in the world. It’s plain to see that this treat doesn’t come cheap—it is adorned with 24-karat gold leaf among other things.

The doughnut is also decorated with a gilded white chocolate lotus with a few edible diamonds and stuffed with Dom Perignon champagne jelly. According to Maxim, the doughnut was served with “a cocktail featuring raspberry and passion fruit syrup, Courvoisier Cognac, and more Dom Perignon 2002.”^[5]

Unfortunately, these aren’t sitting in the display case of your local Krispy Kreme seeing as it was only created once. The company made the fashionably fancy doughnut in an effort to raise money for The Children’s Trust.

5 Frrrozen Haute Chocolate Ice Cream Sundae
$25,000

The Golden Opulence Sundae didn’t hold the top spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for long thanks to the delectable yet wholly unaffordable creation from the folks at Serendipity 3, who simply had to best themselves. The cost of the Frrrozen Haute Chocolate Ice Cream Sundae will set you back a new car: $25,000.

The dessert is far more than just simple ice cream—5 grams (0.2 oz) of 23-karat edible gold are mixed into the dish. To top it all off, they don’t bother with the standard maraschino cherry and instead opt for La Madeline au Truffle, which we already know goes for $250 on its own.

The dish is served in a goblet with a gold crown, an 18-karat gold bracelet with 1 carat of white diamonds, and a golden spoon. These beauties aren’t exactly on the menu and have to be ordered in advance.^[6]

The truffle is brought in from France, while the cocoas are from multiple places around the world. The gold is flown in from Switzerland, so there is some time needed to get it all put together. But for someone willing to shell out $25,000 for dessert, it may be prudent to wait for the right ingredients.

4 The Lindeth Howe Country House Hotel Chocolate Pudding
$34,000

Most people who want pudding will get a six-pack at their local grocery store and maybe put $0.50 toward one dessert. Then there are those whose expense accounts have gone the way of sanity. They put forth $35,000 toward the most expensive pudding in the world.

It was created by chef Marc Guibert of the Lindeth Howe Country House Hotel in England for the sole purpose of being the most expensive chocolate pudding. The dessert’s design aims to replicate a Faberge egg, which it does thanks to a few additions to the normal recipe.

Besides some of the most delicious chocolates, caviar, and edible gold the chef could find, the dessert also comes with a 2-carat diamond. (You probably wouldn’t want to eat that.)

The edible bits consist of gold and champagne caviar, four different flavored Belgian chocolates, and, of course, a covering of edible gold leaf. Accompanying the pudding is a bottle of Chateau d’Yquem, which normally costs around $700 on its own. The pudding is made to order and requires three week’s notice (and probably something of a down payment).^[7]

3 The Absurdity Sundae
$60,000

The “World’s More Expensive Most Expensive Ice Cream Sundae” doesn’t by itself cost as much as the previous sundae on this list, but it comes with a bit of a twist. The people behind Three Twins Ice Cream make a banana split, which typically costs $3,333.33. It consists of bananas and syrups made from rare wines, and it is served with a special ice cream spoon made in the 1850s. They will even get a cellist to play for you while you eat if you give them a day’s notice.

The reason that this Absurdity Sundae is No. 3 on our list has to do with the special arrangements made if you want to enjoy it “properly.” For just $60,000, they will fly you out to Mount Kilimanjaro where the company’s founder will hand-churn ice cream using glacial ice harvested from the mountain’s summit.

Of course, your airfare to Tanzania will be first class and you will be put up in five-star accommodations. You can even kick in an additional $25,000 if you want to bring a friend with you.^[8]

2 Diamond Fruitcake
$1.72 Million

Every Christmas, it seems that you can’t walk into a store without seeing a fruitcake. These desserts, which few people seem to truly enjoy, are ubiquitous during the holiday season. But they don’t often cost more than a few bucks.

Then there’s the special cake created for Takashimaya Department Store in Tokyo. This fruitcake is valued at a measly $1.72 million thanks to the 223 individual diamonds studding the cake. The total weight of the diamonds is 170 carats, making this the most expensive fruitcake in the world . . . and it probably still doesn’t taste all that good when you bite into it.^[9]

The Diamond Fruitcake took six months to design and an entire month to create. The cake is edible, but the chef has suggested that the diamonds aren’t for consumption. Despite the chef’s warning, it doesn’t look like anyone will be taking a bite because the cake was created as an art piece for the store’s promotion. Still, who wouldn’t want to try a cake that costs as much as your average mansion?

1 Strawberries Arnaud
$9.85 Million

If you’ve ever weighed the decision to purchase a yacht or a plate of strawberries and went with the latter, you only have to drop a measly $9.85 million at Arnaud’s Restaurant in New Orleans for a tasty treat! The French Creole restaurant has been serving strawberries for years. Fortunately, you can pick up their regular strawberry dessert for around $9. But for Valentine’s Day 2016, Arnaud’s decided to try something special.

Although the dish comes with locally grown strawberries, some additional ingredients account for the hefty price tag. Various expensive liquors and champagnes are added for flavoring along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and 24-karat gold flakes atop the dessert.

Still not satisfied with the price tag? Thrown in at the base of the plate in an ornate box is a 10.06-carat royal blue diamond engagement ring from MS Rau Antiques in the French Quarter.^[10]

Jonathan is a graphic artist, illustrator, and writer. He is a retired soldier and enjoys researching and writing about history, science, theology, and many other subjects.

As we all know, gold is a precious metal that society has cherished since the beginning. Initially, it was used only as a currency, a stable way to exchange goods and services. As time went on, things changed. Although money to an extent is backed by gold, it is more prominently known as a status symbol. In most cases, gold doesn’t make an item “better”, it is simply there for the sake of being there. While it makes sense to have gold jewelry, as it is a rather appealing, shiny color, there are many things it is added to just to raise the price. People buying these items just want the status that comes with having gold, as gold is closely related to luxury. To give some examples of these items, here are the top 10 most ridiculously expensive golden objects.

Top 10 Most Outrageously Expensive Everyday Objects

10 Gold Grill – $400

Starting off with a classic, the gold grill, a statement of wealth popular within the music industry. Grills became popular in the early 80’s, appearing in many rap/hip-hop music videos. This trend is still around today, although it is no longer as connected to rap as it once was. There are many shops/jewellers that can fit you with your own custom grills for around $400.

These are quite ridiculous though because they don’t really serve any purpose aside from status. In addition to their lack of function, they can also be quite bad for your teeth as the gold metals can be quite acidic and can harm your teeth. Repairing these ailments caused by grills will most likely end up costing more than the grills themself. So unless you have the spare cash to fix your teeth as well, you may want to avoid this one.^[1]

9 Gold Casket – $24,000

Up next is a 24k gold casket. A burial with this specific casket is known as the golden send off and has been used in the past with some famous celebrities. This casket is made with care and features an all around 24k gold plated appearance. Surprisingly, this item only costs $24,000, whereas some smaller things coming up are worth a lot more. It is a shame that anyone who uses this, won’t really get to experience it for themselves, but is more of a gesture to those at the funeral. Gone are the days of using just plain old wood for a casket and here are the days of golden everything!^[2]

8 Gold Clic Glasses – $75,000

Wipe your glasses for this one, because you sure are seeing the price right! At a humble $75,000 you can get your very own pair of sunglasses! Oh it should probably be said that they are also fully made out of gold – the majority of where its price comes from. While it may just seem like a blatant cash grab, there is actually a surprising amount of effort that goes into each and every one of these glasses. A skilled worker takes around 40 hours just to complete one, it’s safe to say that they are indeed mad with a bit of love and care. Though it probably doesn’t justify its price tag as you could still feel that effort if you just ask for some of your grandmother’s baking.^[3]

7 Golden BBQ Grill – $111,000

Heating things up, we have a golden grill! Unlike the previous “Grills”, this item actually has the capability to cook some food. Though what it does have in common with the grills is a price tag that doesn’t exactly correlate with what it actually does for you. You see, this gold grill actually costs around $111,000 US dollars. For that kind of money, you could buy thousands of grills that serve the same purpose.

With most gold items, this too only really serves as a status symbol, as you could get essentially the same grill for only a fraction of its cost. Maybe if it was completely autonomous and cooked your food for you, then it might justify its price, but as of right now it’s just made for the people who have a little too much money to spend.^[4]

6 Gold Shirt – $250,000

Continuing on we have an all gold shirt! Now gold is a very common component in jewelry but this is rather over the top. This shirt is a one of a kind piece commissioned by the Indian millionaire Datta Phuge, looking for the most luxurious status symbol. While other people go for nice cars or houses, this man’s true desire is gold. At a whopping 7 pounds, this highly impractical shirt cost him $250,000 and judging by any pictures of him, he is entirely proud of his decision.

It may seem like a complete waste of money, it’s actually not too bad, as you could easily sell the shirt for quite literally its weight in gold. It’s quite the awkward piece but it will definitely garner the attention of anyone who sees it.^[5]

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5 Gold Elizabeth Coin – $1M

Rolling its way in is the gold Elizabeth coin. The Canadian mint went above and beyond with this one, creating a massive, all gold coin, worth $1,000,000 at face value, but more to collectors. This was supposed to be a one of a kind mint, but due to its high popularity, 5 total have been made to satiate its demand. It’s original purpose was not to be sold, but a promotional piece to promote the mints new 1oz maple leaf coins. Instead, the promotional piece took the spotlight. This coin is so impressive that it even broke a record!

For obvious reasons this coin holds the honor of being the largest gold coin. Sadly, I don’t believe any stores will tender this coin, so the only way to spend it is to sell it. Though I’m sure any buyers are going to keep it safe on display for a while!^[6]

4 Golden Toilet Paper $1.3M

Now this next item is rather humorous, as it is toilet paper! Costing 1.3 million dollars per roll, this roll of toilet paper is not going to be replacing regular rolls anytime soon. Now surprisingly, the company who made it indeed does claim that it is safe to use, but you’d have to be a maniac not to put it on display! This takes luxury to a whole other level as this is a highly disposable piece, meaning that once you use it, it’s gone forever. With most gold items, they will at least last for 10+ years, as they should with such a high price, but this stands a part from the rest. This item is only meant for the insanely rich and should definitely not be something that you save for. But hey, at least it comes with a “free” bottle of champagne.^[7]

3 Bugatti Veyron Diamond Ltd – $2.9M

Next up is the Bugatti Veyron toy car. As you probably know, anything with Bugatti in its name is usually rather expensive, and this toy car keeps that trend going. At a measly $2.9 million dollars, this intricately detailed and beautiful miniature replica could be yours.

The grand price tag is due to two main reasons, the way it was made, and of course the material it’s made out of. The car is a 1/18th scale Bugatti Veyron, and its building process took around 2 months to complete. This is no factory production, rather it is an art piece where authenticity was paramount. In addition to the skillful craftsmanship, the car is also made of complete gold with some diamond accents, which definitely spike up the price quite a bit. This item may be for you if you are a billionaire, but probably isn’t the best Christmas gift for your kid.^[8]

2 1933 Double Eagle – $10M

Coming up next is the “$20” 1933 Double Eagle gold coin. At first it looks like any ordinary coin, but its true value comes from its rich history. The gold coin had its debut in 1933 and was originally supposed to be worth only $20; but due to laws that forbid the “hoarding of gold coin” saw to it that almost its entire supply be destroyed. Out of the roughly 500,000 coins that were minted, only around 13 remain today. Essentially, this was a banned coin and so its notoriety and scarcity are what contribute to its worth.

There is no set price to this coin, so it’s up to the buyer to determine what it’s worth, and so the most recent transaction for one of these coins is around $10 million dollars. Paying $10 million for $20 does not seem like a great deal, but to those who absolutely adore coin collecting, it may just be worth it. Though, to the common person looking for $20, they should probably just look for a job.^[9]

1 Gold iPhone 5 – $15M

This one doesn’t need too much explaining, it’s a gold iPhone! This item tests the limits of blinging out your tech, at a whopping 15 million dollars. This iPhone’s design is rather intricate, featuring a solid gold base with 100’s of small diamonds along the sides and on the Apple logo itself. Taking it one step farther, is an elusive black diamond, the centerpiece of this majestic device. Although this phone is rather old, being a 5, it still remains 1st as the world’s most expensive phone. At least now you can say you have a phone that works better than a $15 million dollar one.^[10]

10 Enigmatic Gold Artifacts

It is almost everyone’s dream to own a flash car, but only the super wealthy can own the flashest. This is a list of the ten most expensive cars in the world. You may be surprised to know that Rolls Royce is not on the list, nor is Bentley, Ferrari, or Lamborghini. Exclusions from the list are cars that exist as prototypes or special one-off makes. Ratings are based on US dollars.

10. Maybach 57 S $367,000

DaimlerChrysler revealed the Maybach 57 S at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. It uses a 6.0 L version of the V12 engine manufactured by Mercedes-AMG. Power output is 604 hp (450 kW) and 738 ft·lbf (1000 N·m), providing a sub-5 second sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h). It also rides 0.5 in (13 mm) lower on 20 in (508 mm) wheels. The North American unveiling was at the Los Angeles Auto Show in January 2006. The S stands for “special” and not for “sport”.

9. Maybach 62 $385,250

The Maybach 62 includes many luxury features such as fully-reclining rear seats, Maybach 4 zone climate control, tinted, infrared-reflecting laminated glass all round, AirMATIC dual control air suspension, display instruments in rear roof liner (showing speed, time and outside temperature), folding rear tables (left and right), BOSE Surround Everywhere sound system and a refrigerator compartment.[1] The Maybach 62 also includes an array of additional features such as Cockpit Management and Navigation System (COMAND), which includes DVD navigation, CD changer in rear seats, DVD players and TV tuners front and rear, two rear LCD TV screens including remote control and two sets of headphones, automatic closing doors.

8. Porsche Carrera GT $440,000

The development of the Carrera GT can be traced back to its successors, the 911 GT1-98 and LMP1-98 racing cars. The Carrera GT is powered by an all-new 5.7 litre V10 engine producing 612 DIN (605 SAE) horsepower (450 kW) whereas the original concept car featured a 5.5 litre version rated at 558 hp (416 kW). Porsche claims it will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62.5 mph) in 3.9 seconds and has a maximum speed of 330 km/h (205 mph), although road tests indicated that in reality the car could accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds and 0-100 mph in 7.0 seconds. The interior is fitted with soft leather. BOSE audio system and navigation systems are available as options. In typical Porsche fashion, the ignition is to the left of the steering wheel.

7. Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren $457,250

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is a German supercar jointly developed by Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Automotive. It is assembled at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England. DaimlerChrysler owns 40% of the McLaren Group. Classified as a supercar and compared to cars like the Porsche Carrera GT and Ferrari Enzo, the presence of the automatic gear box, front mid-engined arrangement and its driving characteristics lead some commentators to classify the SLR McLaren as a Super GT whose closer rivals are the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish and Ferrari 599 GTB. One of the goals of the SLR was to combine both supercar and GT characteristics.

6. Koenigsegg CCR $545,568

The Koenigsegg CCR is an automobile and supercar made by Koenigsegg. Designed and manufactured in Ängelholm, Sweden, it debuted at the 2004 Geneva Auto Show. It briefly held the world speed record for a production car. The CCR took the record from the McLaren F1, which held the record for over 12 years of 386.7 km/h, set on the 9 km straight track at the VW Ehra facility in Wolfsburg, Germany. The CCR ran on the Nardò/Prototipo track, a circular track with a circumference of 12.5 km. This means that the car is driven in a constant turning motion, which makes the exercise and speed even more impressive. The steering wheel at this speed is kept at around 30 degrees of constant angle, a fairly sharp angle for the speed. On the same track, the F1 managed an unofficial record of 372 km/h.

5. Saleen S7 Twin Turbo $555,000

The Saleen S7 is a limited edition, hand built coupe developed jointly by Saleen, Hidden Creek Industries, Phil Frank Design and RML, and produced solely by Saleen in Irvine, California. It is the first car produced by Saleen not based on an existing design and is considered to be the first true American production certified supercar. The S7 debuted on August 19, 2000 at the Monterey Historic Races. At this time the car was normally aspirated with 550 horsepower. In 2005, the S7 was replaced by the S7 Twin Turbo, which featured a more powerful twin-turbo system that boosted engine power to 750 horsepower (760 PS/559 kW) and the top speed to an estimated 250 mph (402 km/h).

4. LeBlanc Mirabeau $645,084

Mirabeau is the newest car from Wysstec GmbH and Leblanc cars. It’s a new proposal for a racecar and prepared to FIA/Le Mans standards .The fact that it is street legal, is almost unbelievable. To reach the maximum of lightweight building and race feeling the car interior is optimized for maximum of speed and acceleration. There are some special options, including leather interior and a sequential gearbox. Power comes from Koenigsegg’s V8, the same engine found in the CCR. It is equipped with a Lysholm Screw Compressor, which has several advantages to the common centrifugal compressor.

3. SSC Ultimate Aero $654,400

The American-built SSC Aero TT is a supercar built by Shelby Super Cars (SSC) in order to rival the new Bugatti Veyron with speeds of over 250 mph (400 km/h) and a 0-60 mph time of just 2.78 seconds (for the Ultimate Aero TT version). The company and vehicle are the brainchilds of Jerod Shelby, who spent over seven years designing the Aero. The car is the world’s fastest production car at 255.83 mph (411.707 km/h), a speed reportedly achieved on September 13, 2007 in West Richland, WA. The results of this test, if verified by Guiness World Records, will give the SSC Aero the world’s fastest production car title. The Aero’s styling includes the use of flip doors similar to the ones found on the Mercedes-McLaren SLR, and the Ferrari Enzo, to name a few. It uses carbon fiber and titanium extensively throughout the car, keeping the weight down to 1233 kg (for the standard Aero). For the Ultimate Aero, weight is further reduced to 1179 kg by marking the navigation system, 10-speaker audio/CD/DVD system, video/DVD screen, and back-up camera as optional equipment; and removing air-conditioning and any trunk space altogether.

2. Pagani Zonda Roadster F C12S 7.3 $667,321

The Pagani Zonda is a supercar produced by Pagani in Italy. It debuted in 1999 and continues through the present, with production proceeding at roughly 25 cars per year. As of December, 2005, 60 Zondas had been built. It is a mid-engined 2-seat coupe and convertible. Construction is mainly of carbon fiber. The Zonda Roadster F debuted at the 2006 Geneva show. It is similar to the coupe, but with a removable carbon fibre roof and canvas side curtains weighing just 11 lb (5 kg). Production of the Roadster F is suggested at 25 units. The Roadster F is able to maintain chassis rigidity without any gain in curb weight by eschewing conventional thinking by not strengthening the sills – a process which would have needed more than 35 kg of reinforcement. Pagani instead uses racecar thinking, materials and construction techniques, strengthening the firewall structure of the chassis tub together with billet alloy braces that connect the points where the roof rails would have joined. The windscreen is also strengthened for safety reasons. These techniques enable the Roadster to have virtually the same weight as the coupe – 1230 kg (2712 lb).

1. Bugatti Veyron 16.4 $1,192,057

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is currently the most expensive street-legal full production car in the world, with in excess of 1001 horsepower, in either the metric or SAE scale, with its top speed of 253.81 mph (408.47 km/h). The Bugatti Veyron reached full production in September 2005. The car is built by Volkswagen AG subsidiary Bugatti Automobiles SAS in its Molsheim (Alsace, France) factory and is sold under the French Bugatti marque. It is named after French racing driver Pierre Veyron, who won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1939 while racing for the original Bugatti firm. After the release of the car, it has been reported that while each Veyron is being sold for $1.2 million, the production costs of the car are approximately £5 million per vehicle. This is not the price to produce one vehicle, but rather the cost of the entire Veyron project divided by the number of vehicles produced at that time. As Bugatti, and therefore Volkswagen, are making such a loss, it has been likened by automotive journalist Jeremy Clarkson and his Top Gear programme team in their story on it to the Concorde, in that both were huge achievements, but the car will probably, like the plane before it, be discontinued after proving to be an economic failure.

Sources: Forbes, Wikipedia

It’s late at night on November 23, 2021, and you looked to the skies to see…something. At 10:20 pm, NASA launched its Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission. After liftoff on a Falcon 9 rocket from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base, the spacecraft set out to travel millions of miles on a planetary defense test to…smash into an asteroid. The cost: $308 million! For intentionally destroying the craft, its only purpose: to see if it can alter the trajectory of that asteroid. (Couldn’t we get Bruce Willis and crew to do it for less?)

On October 1, 1958, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) became operational. The administration’s goals were grandiose right from the start: expand human knowledge of space, lead the world in space-related technological innovation, develop vehicles that can carry both equipment and living beings into space, and collaborate with international space agencies to achieve the most incredible scientific advancements possible.

NASA has accomplished each of these objectives during the last 60 years, and it continues to seek solutions to some of science’s most vexing questions as it adapts to a changing world. But at what cost?

In this list, we’ll take a look at some of NASA’s most expensive programs to date. While it may be easy to pick a favorite among NASA’s many accomplishments, the price tag might leave you wondering if the expense was really worth it.

Related: 10 Historical First Images Captured Of Space

10 Galileo, Estimated Cost: $1.6 Billion

Galileo, named after the great Italian scientist, began its journey toward the Solar System’s largest planet in 1989. In December 1995, it became the first-ever spacecraft to orbit the planet Jupiter. While the planet itself is fascinating (Galileo even witnessed the massive impact of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9), crucial information was gathered about its moons. One of which, Europa, with its seas of water hidden behind an icy crust, is one of the contenders to house life in our solar system.

Regrettably, Galileo’s fascinating journey couldn’t continue forever and, like most extraordinary things, unfortunately, had to come to an end. Galileo was terminated after nearly eight years in orbit by launching it into Jupiter’s atmosphere to avoid contaminating any of Jupiter’s moons with microbes that may have caught a ride from Earth.^[1]

9 Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, Estimated Cost: $2 Billion

The AMS-02 or Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer is an actual, highly complex piece of equipment that can be found on the International Space Station—delivered there by the Space Shuttle Endeavor in 2011. The AMS-02, created by Nobel Laureate and particle physicist Samuel Ting, is as advanced as anything you’ll find in a particle accelerator on Earth. It was designed to detect antimatter and find data that could help solve the puzzle of dark matter.

AMS-02 has collected data from over 175 billion cosmic ray occurrences during its lifetime and is still operational—despite its initial planned lifecycle of three years. In our quest to better understand our world, the considerable experiment has revealed antimatter in the form of both antiprotons and positrons. Antiprotons are protons’ antimatter complements, whereas positrons are electrons’ antimatter counterparts. Researchers discovered that high energy positrons are produced by various astronomical sources, such as cosmic ray collisions and dark matter, as opposed to high energy electrons, providing insight into the origins of these particles.^[2]

8 Hubble Space Telescope, Estimated Cost: $2.5 Billion

The Hubble Space Telescope, named after Edwin Hubble, one of the best astronomers of the twentieth century, had a rocky start after being sent into orbit with an error that reduced the quality of the images it captured. The miscalculation was minuscule (on the range of microns, or approximately one-fiftieth the width of a human hair). Still, it happened to be devastating for the delicate piece of technology. As such, NASA had to send in astronauts to repair the flaw by inserting tiny mirrors into Hubble’s optical field. Hubble started working without a hiccup after that, and over the next two decades, the telescope has provided us with the most incredible photographs ever taken of our universe.

Hubble examines the cosmos 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That means it has witnessed some fantastic cosmic phenomenon every day of the year—for the past 31 years—including your birthday. If you haven’t looked at your birthday image on NASA’s website yet, we strongly advise you to do so because it makes for fascinating viewing.^[3]

7 Curiosity, Estimated Cost: $2.5 Billion

Curiosity is beyond a doubt the most advanced probe to ever visit our planetary neighbor Mars, although it is by no means the first. At any moment of the day, you have the opportunity to look at the current terrain Curiosity is investigating as well as the weather it might be experiencing, and it’s incredible to see. Curiosity’s objective was to learn more about the planet’s geology and climate in order to address one of astronomy’s most pressing questions: is Mars suited for human life? And if it isn’t, was it suitable at some point in our past?

Up to this point, the answer to the first question is a definite no, while the answer to the second looks to be inconclusive. However, the notion that a high-tech robot is currently scouring the terrain and gathering data on another world is good enough, in our opinion, to justify the $2.5 billion price tag.^[4]

6 Cassini-Huygens, Estimated Cost: $3.26 Billion

NASA launched the Cassini-Huygens mission in 1997 to explore Saturn, the most magnificent of the gas giants in our planetary system. The spacecraft was named after Italian and Dutch astronomers Giovanni Cassini and Christian Huygens. After a seven-year trip, Cassini was launched into orbit above Saturn and gathered vital information about the planet’s rings, satellites, and atmosphere.

Cassini’s passenger, the European Space Agency’s Huygens probe, detached from the primary craft on Christmas Day 2004 and successfully landed on Titan, one of Saturn’s moons. This was the first landing accomplished in the outer Solar System and the first landing on a moon other than our own. Cassini ran out of fuel after 20 years in space. NASA sent the spacecraft on a bold final mission to Saturn’s atmosphere to protect moons that might have circumstances favorable for life. On September 15, 2017, Cassini plummeted into Saturn’s atmosphere after nearly two dozen nail-biting dives between the planet and its icy rings, delivering research data to the very end.^[5]

5 Global Positioning System, Estimated Cost: $12 Billion

The U.S. Air Force operates the Global Positioning System (GPS), a space-based radio navigation system controlled by the U.S. government. It can identify any three-dimensional location to meter-level exactness and time to 10-nanosecond reliability anywhere in the world—24 hours a day, 7 days a week. GPS is made up of three segments: the control segment, space segment, and user segment. To facilitate higher spacecraft autonomy and more sophisticated Earth tracking applications, NASA’s commitment to spearhead the future in scientific discovery, aeronautics research, and space exploration necessitates the proactive development and implementation of several GPS applications.

GPS’s origins can be traced back to the Sputnik era, when researchers discovered how to track satellites using shifts in its radio signal, referred to as the “Doppler Effect.” The Global Positioning System’s space segment currently consists of more than 30 fully functional satellites, each equipped with a redundant atomic clock and a ground control network that monitors the network 24/7.^[6]

4 SLS and Orion, Estimated Cost: $23 Billion

The SLS, NASA’s Space Launch System, is a mega heavy-lift propulsion system developed by NASA that lays the groundwork for human space exploration beyond our solar system. The SLS is the only rocket with the power and capabilities to send the Orion spacecraft, complete with cargo and astronauts, to the Moon in a single mission, and it is set to launch in early 2022—for now.

NASA will use a configuration known as Block 1 for the launch of Artemis I, the first combined flight of SLS and Orion. The SLS will have a maximum thrust of 8.8 million pounds, 15% more than the Saturn V rocket. For Artemis I, the Block 1 configuration will send a crewless Orion spacecraft 40,000 miles further than the Moon (280,000 miles from Earth). Before NASA moves on to a crewed flight, engineers will monitor and modulate the integrated system performance of SLS, Orion, and its Exploration Ground Systems. If everything goes smoothly, the Artemis II mission will send astronauts on a flight to orbit the Moon, paving the way for the Artemis III mission to land astronauts on the Moon in 2024.^[7]

3 Apollo Space Program, Estimated Cost: $110 Billion

The Apollo Program began in the 1960s, within the same lifetime as humankind’s first-ever flight. (link 16) NASA created the Apollo Command Module specifically for this program. It was a capsule that could accommodate up to three astronauts. The astronauts traveled to and from the Moon in the Command Module. It was far more extensive than the Mercury and Gemini spacecraft, and the astronauts inside had plenty of room to move about—depending on the notion of “plenty” as the crew space was about the size of a car.

The Lunar Module, a separate spacecraft, was utilized to land on the Moon. This craft transported astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface of the Moon and back to orbit. The Lunar Module itself only could transport two astronauts. As such, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong famously became the first humans to walk on the Moon in July 1969 during the Apollo 11 mission, just in time to keep President John F. Kennedy’s goal of placing a crew on the Earth’s natural satellite and safely returning them by the end of the decade. Perhaps the most outstanding achievement in history, the Apollo missions transported 24 people to the Moon (12 on its surface!) and remains the most ambitious expeditions ever attempted.^[8]

2 International Space Station, Estimated Cost: $150 Billion

The International Space Station is a technical marvel and a symbol of what people from many different countries can do when working together. The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest artificial object in space (it can even be seen with the naked eye if the conditions are perfect!). It provides one-of-a-kind conditions for conducting scientific experiments and studying the effects of long periods in space on humans.

The International Space Station’s first component was launched into orbit by Russia in November 1998. The Russian Zarya control module was launched by a Russian rocket. Two weeks later, in orbit, the Space Shuttle Endeavour, carrying the U.S. Unity node, made contact with Zarya. The crew then connected the Zarya module to the Unity node. More pieces were added to the station over the next two years in order to make it habitable for our astronauts. The first live-aboard crew made their way to the International Space Station on November 2, 2000, and astronauts from nations all over the world have called it home for limited periods of time ever since.^[9]

1 Space Shuttle Program: $209 Billion

The Space Shuttle Program in the 1970s gave birth to the world’s first orbital space shuttle that could be reused (instead of rockets, which could only be used once and were disposed of after each launch). It consisted of an external tank, two external rockets or boosters, and the famous orbiter vehicle, one of the most well-known feats of engineering ever constructed.

Five orbiters were built throughout the project’s three decades of activity: Atlantis, Endeavour, Discovery, Challenger, and Columbia. Unfortunately, the last two were destroyed during operations—the only significant mishaps in an otherwise successful sequence of missions.

The Space Shuttle Program cost between $196 and $209 billion (NASA’s official estimate) and had 135 launches, at the cost of more than $1.5 billion per launch. The Shuttle program was succeeded by the SLS (Space Launch System) just two months after the program’s last mission, which took place in July 2011.^[10]

Every day, you look at a pen, an HDMI cable, or a bottle of water. These items are very common, and seemingly inexpensive. However, this is not always the case… Here is a list of the 10 most insanely overpriced everyday objects!

Top 10 Ordinary Items That Made People Rich

10Gläce Luxury Ice Co. Ice Cubes—$325

What started as a business school project, Gläce Luxury Ice Co. sells what is claims to be the very best way to cool your drink. Their ice cubes and ice spheres are perfectly geometrically correct, and they claim that, mathematically, they most efficiently chill your drink.

The ice is available in bags of 50 Cubes, 50 Spheres, or a 25 Cube/ 25 Sphere mixed bag. The ice is available online, shipped in insulated bags via FedEx. For just $325, one of these bags could be yours.

The water that the ice is frozen into is completely purified, in an effort to not contaminate the taste of any of your top-shelf liquors and spirits. They claim the ice has a dilution rate of about 15-30 minutes, which gives you plenty of time to enjoy your chilled beverages.^[1]

9Platinum Starlight 7 HDMI Cable—$4,000

For about the price of 4 brand-new iPhones, you can buy a 6-foot long “Premium” HDMI cable for your TV or computer monitor. On WireWorld’s website, the cable is available in lengths of 1 meter for $1,000, all the way up to 7 meters, for a whopping $4,000.

This cable features double-helix style wrapped cables inside the flat exterior insulation on the full length of the cord. The connectors are carbon-fiber, and the connectors are made completely of pure silver, for optimal conduction. The company claims that the cord is “the ultimate HDMI cable.”

This cord is often the choice for high-end home theater systems due to the rich sound and color transmission quality, but this comes at a cost. Not everyone will have the opportunity to experience this $4,000 cable.^[2]

8Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc eTap—$12,500

Since the 1970s, Trek has been one of the leading names in the Bicycle industry. It is a case of the classic success story of a business starting in a garage, and building its way to the top of its industry. Along with this success, they have developed some of the best bikes in history, but they come at a price…

The Trek Madone SLR 9 Disk eTap is the bike to end all bikes. Its carbon fiber frame paired with electronic gearing control makes it perfect for long-haul and short-sprint races alike. It features an aerodynamic frame and wheel design for ultimate efficiency.

This bike is for the top of the top bicycle racers, and is almost an unfair advantage for most races. It’s $12,500 pricepoint puts it out of reach for most riders, though. So, the next time you are looking for a new ride, give this bike a consideration.^[3]

7Grand Velas Los Cabos Tacos—$25,000

In the mood for tacos? How about spending $25,000? Well, here’s just the place for you. Located on the Baja Peninsula in Mexico, the Grand Velas Los Cabos Resort Hotel offers the world’s most expensive tacos. For $25,000, you can get two of the world’s finest tacos.

These tacos are served packed with some of the most expensive ingredients. They’re packed with Kobe beef, Lobster, Black Truffle Brie Cheese, and Almas Beluga caviar. This is all inside a soft corn tortilla, and topped with flakes of Gold.

These tacos are available inside the resort’s world-famous restaurant “Frida”. Head Chef Juan Licerio Alcala says, “Our ultimate goal at Grand Velas Los Cabos is to break the mold of expected, traditional cuisine and go outside of the box for our well-traveled guests”, and he certainly achieved this goal with his tacos.^[4]

6Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani Bottle of Water—$60,000

Most water bottles sell for $1 at your local convenience store, or even for cents a piece in bulk packs. And at the pricey end of the scale, you might pay up to ten times that if your neighbourhood Costco is currently being raided by Coronavirus preppers. But, imagine going to the store, and the water bottle costs more than a new BMW. The Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani water bottle sold for $60K at a Mexico City Auction in 2010.

It is not simply a water bottle, though. The container itself is a 24K Gold-covered abstract figure of a woman’s head. There was only one of these bottles ever made, making it extremely rare, which contributes to its ridiculous price. The water inside is a mix of spring water from Fiji, France, and even an Icelandic Glacier.

That’s not all, though. There are even 23K gold flakes inside the water. This is the water Midas would have wanted. There is only one of the gold version on earth, but there is, however, less expensive versions of the same bottle, made of different materials. The cheapest available is still a wallet-busting $285.^[5]

Top 10 Surprising Facts About Rich People

5Louis Vuitton Crocodilian Leather Backpack—$79,000

Louis Vuitton is a name synonymous with quality, exclusivity, and most notably, luxury. For centuries, they have provided the wealthiest among us with a product unlike any other. Exotic design and a high-end price define Louis Vuitton. Celebrities have used their product for decades, and the Louis Vuitton Crocodilian Leather Backpack is no exception.

For the price of $79,000, this backpack can be yours. It premiered at the Louis Vuitton Men’s Fall/Winter 2018 fashion show. It features crocodile skin as its primary textile and is only available in the season’s “signature hue” Titanium Grey. To buy it, you cannot simply walk into a store, or order it online. You have to call in to the Louis Vuitton headquarters in Paris, France in order to make a purchase.

This backpack features titanium zippers and buckles. Padded shoulder straps and back provide ultimate comfort for the opulent customers. In contrast to many other Louis Vuitton backpacks, this pack features minimal branding. And due to animal skin trade restrictions, this backpack cannot even be shipped to California.^[6]

4American Express Centurion Credit Card—$500,000

The wealthy elite have lines of credit like you wouldn’t believe, and this card is no exception. If you are an American Express Credit Card holder, and spend (and pay back) more than around $500,000 in a calender year on your AmEx account, there is a chance of being invited to apply for the American Express Centurion Card.

This card is what some consider to be the holy grail of status symbols. American Express only invites those who spend more than $500,000 a year on their cards. The spending doesn’t stop there, though. Once you are invited, there is a fee of $7,500 just to open the account. And then another $2,500 yearly to keep the account on top of the spending quota.

Its not just a titanium rectangle, though. This card gets you extra spending points with hotels and airlines, as well as lots of cashback. This card is a prime example of how incredibly wealthy some people are. If you ever find yourself in a situation in which you are invited to join this card, you are one of the lucky ones.^[7]

3Aurora Diamante Fountain Pen—$1,470,600

Think about the nicest pen you’ve ever written with. The ball-point glides over the paper like butter on a hot pan. Its line is crisp and solid. The color is bold and you feel like you are the boss of the office when you write with it. How much did that pen cost?

In 2009, the pen designer and manufacturer “Aurora” released this $1.5 Million pen. It is covered with over 30 carats of high-quality diamonds. It features a fountain-style white gold nib, and was available in a light and dark variant. The pen is very limited, and only sold to a select customer once a year.

The pen is made in Florence, Italy, where Aurora’s headquarters are. They also make a variety of other pens, at a range of price points. There is no doubt however, that their “Diamante” will hold its place as their most expensive pen for a long time.^[8]

2Alexander Amosu iPhone—$2,700,000

In 2014, with the release of the iPhone 6, designer Alexander Amosu released this one-off modified iPhone. 18 carat gold is encrusted with 6,127 diamonds to make the most blinged-out iphone ever made. Phone calls like no other are made on this phone.

The phone features a 51 carat diamond Apple logo on the back, with a flawless cut. The “Alexander Amosu” logo appears on the lower back of the phone, emblazoned with even more gold and diamonds. People scoff at the $1,000 price point of the brand new iPhones of today, but this phone surely takes the cake!

The phone was quickly made obsolete with the release of the iPhone 7 in 2016, but the Amosu iPhone’s legacy lives on as one of the biggest show-offs in today’s world.^[9]

1Jada Dubai x Passion Jewelers High Heel Shoes—$17,000,000

Jada Dubai and Passion Jewelers collaborated on what would hold the world record for the most expensive pair of shoes ever. What Jada Dubai calls their “Passion Diamond Shoes” will run you a wallet-busting $17 Million Dollars.

Over 200 diamonds line the 24 carat gold stiletto heel, and gold-covered leather construction are sure to draw attention at even the most opulent occasions. And to top it off, there are two 14 carat high grade diamonds on each toe. Most of the value of these pumps come from the massive rarity of the 238 diamonds onboard.

Fashionistas from all over the world had the chance to view these works of art at the famed “Burj Al Arab” hotel in Dubai, UAE. The massive price tag turns away most potential buyers.^[10]

10 Things Rich People Do That You Don’t

For the ultra-wealthy, money is no object. Instead, it’s many objects: golden mammoth skeletons, rooftop pools full of Patron, and jetpacks for their butlers (I assume). But when the one-percenters inevitably get sick of soaking in their own opulence, they vacation in search of fresh, new luxuries at the finest resorts in the world. Luckily, there are hundreds to choose from, each with its own creme-de-la-creme top-tier penthouse/villa/island. These rooms are the finest, or at least priciest, available anywhere in the world. This list ranks the ten most expensive of these super-suites, rooms whose price per night will make you question if that golden mammoth skeleton might actually be real. Spoiler: it is.

Related: 10 Hotels That Offer Ridiculously Over-The-Top Extras

10 Nobu Villa, Nobu Hotel- $35,000/night

Many Las Vegas resorts, especially those right on the Strip, are massive testaments to human engineering and commerce. They’re big, bright, and tower over the street-level neon. The Nobu Hotel, however, exercises more restraint, with only 182 rooms and a consistently austere and beautiful aesthetic.

For $35,000 per night, guests can stay at the hotel’s finest suite, the Nobu Villa. It boasts 10,500 square feet, a personal butler, masseuse, limo, and 24/7 access to world-class food from celebrity chef (and hotel owner) Nobu Matsuhisa. It also has a full bar, its own barbecue pit on its terrace, and a whirlpool. The whole place rides the line between opulence and elegant simplicity, a line that most other entries on this list fall far away from.

9 The Royal Villa, Grand Resort Loganissi- $45,000/night

The Grand Resort Lagonissi is located south of Athens, Greece, on its own mini peninsula that juts into the Aegean Sea. The resort is worth its cost from location alone; its unobstructed view of the Mediterranean and a dozen of the Greek islands that peek their heads out of it is breathtaking. It’s also breathtaking that its nicest room(s), the Royal Villa, costs $40,000 per night.

For the price, guests stay at a villa “designed for royal and prestigious guests.” It shows. The villa is a three-bedroom, three-bath, private gym, private massage parlor, indoor pool, and outdoor pool affair. Best of all: it has its own butler’s quarters with a separate entrance. That way, you can be waited on hand and foot and then shoo that unsightly commoner away so you can again forget that the lower class exists.

8 The Ty Warner Penthouse, Four Seasons- $50,000/night

The Four Seasons New York stands right at the heart of downtown Manhattan. Between Madison and Park Avenues, the hotel is a short walk to dozens of major New York City landmarks, and from its Ty Warner Penthouse, you can see them all out of your many gold-trimmed bay windows.

The room was designed by probably the most celebrated architect of all time, I.M. Pei, and he was not phoning it in that day. Or should I say year, as it took Pei seven whole years to design the suite. He made every nook and cranny extravagant and expensive; even the sheets boast 22-carat gold fabric. Through its gold telescope, you can look out on Central Park and the rest of the city, swirling a snifter of brandy, and know you’ve won the game of life.

7 The Penthouse Suite, Faena Miami- $50,000

The Penthouse Suite at Faena Hotel is every bit as luxurious as you’d imagine from a $50,000 per night suite. But unlike the other hotel room entries on this list, the suite is located in Miami, and boy does it show.

The architecture is all art deco; at every opportunity, every structure is maximal. Chairs and couches are tiger print and gold, a golden greyhound statue guards the leopard print living room, and every inch that could be gold-leafed is. The entrance to the building hosts a Damien Hirst art piece entitled “Gone but not Forgotten” that is, in fact… a golden wooly mammoth skeleton.

6 The Hilltop Villa, Laucala Island- $50,000/night

Though it’s not the most expensive stay on this list, Laucala Island sure feels the least like real life. Red Bull CEO Dietrich Mateschitz owns the island, and he keeps it, aesthetically at least, a paradise.

There is no spot on the private island where the grass isn’t perfectly green, the water isn’t crystal blue, or where tall palm trees jut out from expertly manicured gardens. The appropriately-named Hilltop Villa is at the top of that pristine island, which costs $50,000 per night. It comes with a chauffeur, a nanny, an entire kitchen staff, and even your own horses to ride on your own strip of beach.

5 A Private Island, Cheval Blanc Randheli- $50,000/night

If staying on a hill atop a private island that may house a couple of dozen other elites isn’t private enough for you, there is always Cheval Blanc Randheli, where guests can rent an entire island to themselves for only $50,000 per night.

Located in the Maldives amidst a coral reef, the hotel is as tropical and picturesque as can be. The private island is even better, as there is not another soul to distract you or obstruct your view. That is, aside from an entire team of personal chefs, bartenders, and even your own private pianist.

4 The Penthouse Suite, Hotel Martinez- $55,000/night

You’re probably thinking, “Wait, there are four more rooms after the private island? How?” The answer: absurd, King-Midas-level opulence. Located on the south coast of France in Cannes, the Hotel Martinez looks out over the French Riviera, so it’s not lightly that I say that the hotel itself might be the better view.

The hotel is perfectly designed and furnished throughout, but the Penthouse Suite, located on the top floor and with its own private terrace, is the pinnacle of taste. The bedroom, living room, dining room, and even the closet manage to be stylish and yet relaxing. The closet is even put together well enough that it pulls off a leopard print carpet. Celebrities stay here during the Cannes Film Festival and enjoy its private, two-Michelin-starred restaurant, the La Palme d’Or, costing them $55,000 per night.

3 The Grand Penthouse, The Mark- $75,000/night

The Mark is a Central Park East hotel that offers about as much luxury as New York possibly can, especially in its pièce de résistance, the Grand Penthouse. Though not the most expensive room there is, the Grand Penthouse is the biggest.

The suite is over 10,000 square feet, and its private terrace alone is 2,500. The living room is the size of a full grand ballroom, the ceilings are 26-feet high (which many New Yorkers would gasp at), and even the entryway is over 30-feet across. Not to be a one-trick pony, the suite is also lavishly decorated with 100% unique furniture pieces across its two full floors. To enjoy that much space and style while overlooking Central Park, guests pay $75,000 per night.

2 The Royal Penthouse Suite, Hotel Wilson- $80,000/night

The Hotel President Wilson is located in Geneva, Switzerland, and offers views of both Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc. The views are best from the hotel’s top floor, the entirety of which is dedicated to the Royal Penthouse Suite.

The insanely decadent suite has 12 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms, one of which boasts a jacuzzi with a panoramic view of the lake. The suite also contains a massive, 103-inch television, as well as a full grand piano. At $80,000 per night, the room is not even marketed primarily to celebrities but rather heads of state and royalty.

1 The Empathy Suite, Palms Casino- $100,000/night

The most ridiculously expensive hotel suite in the world is *drumroll please* the Empathy Suite at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas. It costs a staggering $100,000 a night, and in exchange, offers some particularly unique luxuries.

Damien Hirst designed the room and applied his special brand of eccentricity to the decor. Two white sharks hang by one of the windows, preserved in formaldehyde and prompting a few reasonable questions. There is an impressive 13-seater bar, for some reason made from a collage of faux medical waste. The medical theme continues with pill wallpaper and window stickers, then gives way to the other two themes: polka dots and butterflies. There’s a lot of luxury to experience in the suite, but ultimately it’s the design that steals the focus. For better or worse.

Honorable Mention: The Boulevard Penthouses, Cosmopolitan

The magnificent and mysterious Boulevard Penthouses at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas get an honorable mention for being both the most expensive rooms in the world and the cheapest- all depending on how you slice it.

For the highest spending gamblers at the Cosmopolitan Casino, the Penthouses are gratis perks, making them the cheapest hotel rooms in the world. But to earn that posh prize, those big spenders need to guarantee cumulative bets of at least one million dollars on the casino floor. Thus we have the most expensive hotel room in the world. Sort of. And is it worth it? It would be hard to argue any room could be worth a million dollars, but the Cosmo Penthouses try their hardest. The rooms look like sets from a utopian sci-fi movie; every surface is clean, sleek, minimal, neutral, and functional. And as you could likely guess, gold is everywhere.