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Showing posts from 2009

Auction of Ponzi Scheme Spoils

On January 7 and 21, an auction will be held of the automobiles owned by a Utah businessman accused of operating a Ponzi scheme, raising $18 million. Over 200 cars will be auctioned including a 1981 DeLorean, a 1989 Bentley Turbo, a 1969 Dodge Charger and 1973 Plymouth Barracuda.

Most Expensive New Year's Package Includes Concerts, Penthouses, and Implants

Here's a New Year's Package for you. It includes tables at New Year's Eve concerts, chauffeured Rolls Royce, first class plane tickets, stays at South Beach penthouses, and breast augmentation. The price of this package is only $100,000 .

Two Houses For Sale Tied for the Most Expensive

Zillow.com has released their list of the most expensive homes for sale in the United States, and two are tied for first place. Tranquility, the 20,000 square foot home on Lake Tahoe, is up for sale at $100,000,000. It is owned by Joel Horowitz, co-founder of Tommy Hilfiger. Albemarle House in Charlottesville, Virginia, is also for sale at the same price. This 300 acre state is owned by winemaker Patricia Kluge. By the way, the house of TV Doctor Robert Rey was dropped in price by about a million dollars , from $5,295,000 to $4,395,000.

Billionaire Hedge Fund Operator Sued by Ex-Wife for Racketeering

A New York City billionaire hedge fund operator, Steven Cohen , was sued by his ex-wife, Patricia Cohen, for racketeering, claiming that he hid many millions of dollars from her for many years. Cohen was ranked the 36th richest person in America by Forbes.

Billionaire Sentenced to Death

Billionaire Wang Wenxian, of Heilongjiang Province in China, was found guilty of hiring two people to kill his business partner. The municipal court sentenced him to death .

Order Your Solid-Gold Nintendo Wii Now to Get It by Christmas

There is still time left. Put your order in for a Solid-Gold Nintendo Wii created by a British designer, Stuart Hughes. The cost is only $485,000 .

Most Expensive Golf Club

A Scotty Cameron Handmade putter is being auctioned off on eBay right now, and is expected to fetch the most amount of money for any golf club ever played . Bidding opened at 99 cents and the current bid is $10,600.

Mu$eum of American Finance 2010 Gala

Mu$eum of American Finance 2010 Gala honoring William H. Donaldson January 11, 2010 6:30pm Cocktails 48 Wall Street New York City Business Attire Individual Seats Benefactor $5,000 Patron $2,500 Sponsor $1,500 Tables (10 seats) Benefactor $50,000 Patron $25,000 Sponsor $15,000 For more info, call 212-908-4694

Bottle of Cognac $37,000

A 1788 bottle of Vieux Cognac sold at a Paris, France auction for $37,000. This was one of about 18,000 bottles up for auction at this two day event.

Collect Houses? How About the Skinniest House in England?

The skinniest house in England, located in the west area of London, is up for sale at a price of $897,000. It is less than six feet wide .

World's Most Expensive Cupcake: $25,000

The world's most expensive cupcake is available for only $25,000. However, it is not the kind you can eat. It is actually a car shaped like a cupcake, the Pongrace Cupcake Car .

Two Cave Dwellers Become Billionaires

Two brothers in Budapest, Hungary have been living in a cave and supporting themselves by picking up scrap on the street. They just discovered that they will be inheriting $6.6 billion from their grandmother who lived in Germany. Reportedly, one of the brothers just wants to live a normal life with his share of the money, outside the cave of course.

'Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a Pirates Stock Exchange for Me'

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Even pirates are getting into trading and speculating. Stockerblog.com has discovered that pirates in Somalia have set up a pirate stock exchange which allows people to invest in potential plunderings of ships. So far there are 72 different investments that have been traded on the exchange.

$100,000 Darwin Book found in Bathroom

A Charles Darwin's " On the Origin of Species " first edition book was found in a bookshelf in a bathroom. It will be put up for auction next Tuesday at Christie's and is expected to fetch as much as $100,000.

Mark Your Calendars: Upcoming Top Marques Shows

The upcoming Top Marques Shows are as follows: Monaco Apr. 15-18, 2010 Abu Dhabi Dec. 15-18, 2010

Highest Priced Home: $150 Million

According to Forbes, the most expensive home for sale right now is the 'Manor' built by Candy and Aaron Spelling. It is a 4.7-acre estate outside of Los Angeles with 100 rooms. The price is $150 Million. If you like interesting houses, check out the Skinniest House in England , Bernie Madoff's NY house, Nicolas Cage's house, and Christina Ricci's home.

$420,000 for One Glove

If you missed the auction held by Los Angeles-based Julien's Auctions at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, you missed a great buying opportunity: the white glove that Michael Jackson wore when he showed off his trademark moonwalk in 1983. This rhinestone-studded, modified golf glove was purchased by Hoffman Ma of Hong Kong for $420,000 including buyers fee and taxes. It had been estimated to sell for only between $40,000 to $60,000.

BillionairesLife.com Christmas List 2009

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It's that time again to start your shopping. Here are some great luxury gifts for your friends and relatives. It's also a great list to give to your friends and relatives, showing them what you would like to have for Christmas. 1. Joe Montana's California Estate This 500 acre estate in the Napa wine country in California is 9,700 square feet and includes a Bocce ball court and a full-sized basketball court.The price is $49 million. 2. 2006 Bugatti Veyron Available through the BillionaireXchange for $1,050,000.00 . 3. 12 liter bottle of Vieille Bon Secours beer The most expensive beer in the world for just $1160. 4a. Royal Diamond Chess Set This chess set from Charles Hollander is hand made with 9,900 black and white diamonds, in over 1168 grams of 14 carat white gold. Price is $500,000. 4b. And for those who like guns and chess, there is the Gold and Silver Bullet Chess Set from Bullet Forge. 5. Breguet Classique Complications Tourbillon Messidor Mens Rose Gold Watch Th

Billionaire Donald Trump in the News a Lot This Week

The famous billionaire Donald Trump made news several times during the last week. First, he is working on a joint venture with Omarosa for a reality dating show scheduled to appear on the TV One network. Second, he is selling his personal jet to upgrade to a larger jet. The jet he is selling is a a 1968 Boeing 727 with a master bedroom. Third, he is being sued by 30 individuals and companies over a failed building project in Tampa, Florida, for the Trump Tower Tampa . By the way, also in Florida yesterday, Trump made a presentation at the official launch of his Trump Network, a network marketing (multi-level marketing) organization, which sells nutritional supplements and weight loss products . He is going into competition with Amway, Herbalife, Nu Skin, and USANA.

Most Expensive Beer $1160 for a Bottle

A restaurant in London has available a 12 liter bottle of Vieille Bon Secours ale for $1160 for the bottle. It has 8% alcohol content and has been in storage for the last ten years. It supposedly has a mixed taste of citrus, apricots, caramel, toffee and licorice.

Bernie Madoff's NY House for Sale at $8.9 Million

The Penthouse Duplex of Bernard Madoff , who admitted to running the largest Ponzi scheme in history, is now listed for sale at $8.9 million through Sotheby's International Realty. The home has three bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, and four wood-burning fireplaces.

You Can Buy Joe Montana's Estate for $49 Million

Famous football star, Joe Montana, is selling off his vacation home for a reasonable $49 million. This is a 500 acre estate in the Napa wine country in California. The home is 9,700 square feet and includes a Bocce ball court, a full-sized basketball court, a skeet shooting range, a pool and spa of course, and a gym. Unfortunately, the home only has three bedrooms and 3 1/2 baths, but it does have two laundry rooms. Better get your offer in now, as the California real estate market seems to be turning around.

Auction Site for Billionaires and Millionaires

It's not just the poor and middle class that are having money problems. Even the rich and very rich are running into financial difficulty. There is now an Internet auction site for millionaires and billionaires, called BillionaireXchange.com, which specializes in very high end and luxury offerings. For example, there is a 2006 Bugatti Veyron with a starting bid of $1,050,000.00, an 186ct Diamond Chess Set starting at $224,000.00, and a 1993 Superyacht for a starting bid of $13,000,000.00.

Nicolas Cage’s Dinosaur Skulls, Shrunken Heads, Lamborghini, Islands, and Haunted Houses

According to an article at TheDailyBeast, Nicolas Cage was responsible, at least in part, for his financial problems. The article states that he spent his money on yachts, motorcycles, a jet, jewelry, mansions (including a haunted one), dinosaur skulls, shrunken heads, and two islands in the Bahamas.

Who in the Heck Would Pay $16 Million for a Patch?

An eBay auction just closed mid-month in October for a Nurburgring 7 patch . According to the listing, "very rare ( only 8) Nurburgring 7 patch normally only available to the members of the Yamaha xjr1300 owners, XJROC and XJR Ruhrpott who actually went around the ring at Eurofest 2009 rather than just watched or dreamed." This rare collectible, which actually had two different people bidding on it, sold for $16,393,500.00. Although the name of the high bidder wasn't disclosed, the bidder has 100% positive feedback with over 100 transactions.

Billionaire Money Manager Ken Fisher Believes We Are Still In a Bull Market

According to a recent interview at Stockerblog.com, billionaire Ken Fisher, who is a money manager, author, and member of the Forbes 400 wealthiest Americans list, has stated that we are still in a bull market. He also believes that this bull market should continue for the next six months to two years.

The Gold and Silver Bullet Chess Set

Looking for a gift for the gun enthusiast? If they like chess, how about a Gold Bullet versus Silver Bullet Chess Set where are the pieces are plated with precious metals. the cost with the chessboard is a very reasonable $180 from Bullet Forge. But for the really fancy stuff, there is the solid gold 45 ACP bullet with an amethyst mounted in the hollowpoint and embedded with over 90 diamonds . The cost is approximately $3000. And if you just want to shoot werewolves, you can get a 45 acp solid silver bullet for $125.

Crypt Above Marilyn Monroe Doesn't Sell

The crypt on top of Marilyn Monroe's did not sell for the second time. It is located at the Westwood Village Memorial Park cemetery, where Dean Martin, James Coburn, Roy Orbison, Truman Capote, and Natalie Wood are also laid to rest. The crypt did sell for over $4 million on eBay during the summer, but the buyer fell through.

The Richest Dead Celebrity

If you were to guess that Michael Jackson is the richest dead celebrity, you would be wrong, according to Forbes Magazine. The richest is Yves Saint Laurent , the French fashion designer, who made $350 million in the past year. Jackson was third with $90 million, and Elvis Presley was fourth with $55 million.

Billionaire from France Building Electric Car Batteries in Canada

Vincent Bollore, a French billionaire, announced that his company, Bollore Group, will put $120 million in a lithium-metal-polymer technology battery-producing factory near Montreal. Bollore has a net worth of $1.4 billion.

Highest Priced Arab Art Just Auctioned

Christie's in Dubai just held an auction of Arab art raising $6.7 million from the sale of the artworks. The highest priced item in the sale was a double calligraphy by Egypt's Ahmed Mustafa, which was hammered at $662,500 .

What is the Most Expensive Item on Amazon?

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As most online consumers are aware, you can buy a lot more than books on Amazon. As a matter of fact, you can buy just about everything. Have you ever wondered what the most expensive item is that Amazon sells? In the clothing department, there is the Sable Fur Coat with Full Length Shawl Collar at $49,995. If you like sports collectibles, you can acquire a Thurman Munson Autographed/Hand Signed Baseball for $76,666. The most expensive jewelry item right now is the Platinum Sapphire and Diamond Necklace from VAN CLEEF & ARPELS for $1,200,000. Or if that is too rich for your blood, there is the Platinum Diamond Riviera Necklace for $1,150,000. If you need to spruce up your home with a new chandelier, you might want a cascade chandelier by Vincent van Duysen for Swarovski . It weighs 661 pounds and sells for $322,237. Finally, if you are in the market for a wristwatch, buy the Breguet Classique Complications Tourbillon Messidor Mens Rose Gold Watch at $131,669.99.

Finally an Auto Rebate for Rich People: Over $40 Grand

If you are a Colorado resident, this is your lucky year. A $42,083 rebate is available through the form of a Colorado income tax credit for purchasers of an all-electric Tesla Roadster before December 31. This works out to about a 38% discount off the MSRP price of the vehicle.

The World's Most Expensive SUV

Have an extra $1,653,800 available? If so, you can purchase the Dartz Prombron Monaco Red Diamond Edition SUV , which includes diamond encrusted speed gauges, gold plated windows, and seats that are made with leather from a male whale's sexual organ. The outside of the car is covered with bulletproof Kevlar coating. To top it off (no pun intended), the vehicle comes with three bottles of Russo-Baltique vodka.

Billionaire Hedge Fund Manager Sued by Sri Lanka Victims

Raj Rajaratnam, a portfolio manager for the hedge fund Galleon Group has been sued by victims of violence in Sri Lanka who claim that he helped finance separatist rebels called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Rajaratnam, was one of several fund managers charged last week with conspiring to trade securities with inside information.

Elvis Hair Sold for Over $18,000

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If you missed out on the auction of Elvis Presley's hair , you might be surprised to know that the big hunk of hair, more than just a lock, sold for $18,300 including buyer's premium, while it had an estimate of $8,000 to $12,000. Some of the other high priced items in the Leslie Hindman Auctioneers auction of Elvis memorabilia include an EP Monogrammed Cream Collared Cotton Shirt worn by Elvis which was hammered at $62,800 (estimate of $2,000 and $4,000), an ultrasuede red shirt worn by Elvis which went for $34,000, and a 1960 Inscribed Elvis Presley Picture Sleeve which went for $10,370. A photo album of original photographs of Elvis Presley also sold for $7,930, and an Original 1954 Elvis Presley Sun Records Thats All Right 78rpm Single.

Looking for a Unique Place to Stay on Vacation

How would you like to stay at a rotating hotel , guaranteeing all guests a view, at least for part of the day. The Ĺ olta Island Resort is the place to stay on the Adriatic Sea. It spins 1.3 times per day.

You Can Buy Elvis Presley's Hair

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Tomorrow, October 18, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago will be auctioning off a lock of hair from Elvis Presley . The hair is expected to fetch between $8,000 and $12,000. Other Elvis Presley memorabilia will also be sold at auction.

Lehman Artwork to be Auctioned

Freeman's Auctioneers and Appraisers is holding an auction of modern and contemporary art from the Lehman Brothers Collection on November 1 at Noon in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The auction will feature works in all price ranges, including several items without any reserves. This is your chance to pick up some bargains. Exhibition Dates are Thursday, October 29th 10am-6pm, Friday, October 30th 10am-6pm, and Saturday, October 31st 12pm-5pm. There are several prints available with scenes of New York City and the New York Stock Exchange with estimates of less than $1000. If you can't make it to Philadelphia, you can always bid online.

Billionaire Donald Trump is Getting into Network Marketing

Donald Trump, one of the Forbes 400 billionaires, is getting into the multilevel marketing business , selling nutrition, energy, and weight loss products.

Nicolas Cage is Taking Offers on His House: Minimum Bid $9.9 Million

Nicolas Cage owns an 11,800 square foot home with six bedrooms, nine bathrooms, and five fireplaces. The mansion was formerly owned by Dean Martin and Tom Jones. Cage has had it on the market for a while at $17.5 million, but is now seeking sealed bids with a minimum of $9.9 million.

Add Private Islands to Your Holiday Shopping List

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As long as you are putting together your holiday shopping list, you might want to add a private island. Great Sale Cay in the Bahamas is offered at $9,900,000. It has a whopping 370 acres. Then there is the 265 acre Caye Chapel Island in Belize, which includes eight beachfront villas and 11 marina view casitas with a Par 72, 18-hole championship golf course, a deep water marina, a paved private airstrip, a huge formal clubhouse and a restaurant. The price is only $75,000,000. Want an American island? Great Hans Lollik Island is located in the U.S. Virgin Islands and is about 500 acres in size. The price is only $45,000,000.

His and Hers ICON Sports Aircraft $250,000

It's that time of year already. The Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog is out, so now is your chance to buy His and Hers ICON Sports Aircraft for a price of $250,000. Or how about a Customized Cupcake Car for $25,000, a Mission One Electric Motorcycle (the world's fastest electric motorcycle) for $73,000, or maybe just a 2010 Jaguar XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition automobile for $105,000.

Net Worth of Billionaire Bill Gates Drops by $7 Billion

Microsoft (MSFT) founder Bill Gates hasn't been immune from the recession. His net worth dropped by $7 billion making him worth only $50 billion. The net worth of Paul Allen, Steve Ballmer and Dell's (DELL) Michael Dell also dropped. However, Amazon's (AMZN) Jeff Bezos net worth went up by $100 million to $8.8 billion. Author owns MSFT and AMZN.

La Jolla Has the Most Expensive Homes in the US

La Jolla is the exclusive community in the northern part of the city of San Diego. For the second year in a row, Caldwell Banker has name the La Jolla housing market as the most expensive in the country, with the average 4 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath home selling for $2,125,000 , a greater than 16% increase over last year.

First a $100,000 iPhone Cover, Now a $240,000 Blackberry

First, a diamond-encrusted gold iPhone shell is offered by a German company. Now a British company is coming out with 'the world's most expensive Blackberry', a solid 18-carat yellow gold Curve 8900 . It will be designed by luxury designer Alexander Amosu, and will have almost 29 carats of specially cut diamonds.

Christina Ricci Home For Sale

Christina Ricci, actress who became famous or her role as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family, has put her Los Angeles home up for sale at a price of $1.5 million . It is a 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom, 2,400 sq ft home located on Park Oak Drive, in Hollywood Hills. The house includes a mosaic-tiled pool.

US Mint Removing Household Order Limit on Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin

The United States Mint will remove the household order limit on the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin. The Mint is selling the coin for $1,339.00 each. The limit is currently 25 coins per household. According to the Mint: This one-ounce, 24-karat gold coin is a triumph in coin design representing the culmination - more than a century in the making - of a partnership between a renowned artist, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, and a visionary leader, President Theodore Roosevelt. The coin, is a digitally reproduced version of Saint-Gaudens’ original ultra high relief 1907 Double Eagle gold piece, which was never released into circulation. Included with each coin is an official United States Mint companion book that chronicles the history and development of the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin describing the modern technologies and processes used to perfect this unique legal tender United States coin. On the coin’s obverse, Saint-Gaudens shows Liberty, personified by a st

Al Capone's Hideout is on the Auction Block

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The famous Chicago mobster, Al Capone, had a 407 acre hideout property in northern Wisconsin during prohibition. The stone house on the property has walls that are 18 inches thick. Starting bid will be $2.6 million at the Sawyer County Courthouse on Oct. 8.

Most Expensive iPhone Cover

If you are looking for the ultimate in luxury to cover your Apple (AAPL) iPhone, check out the gorgeous diamond-encrusted gold shell offered by GnG, a German company. Price is approximately $100,000. If you don't like gold, you also have a choice of silver or platinum.

AvantAir has a Special on Fractional Flying

For a limited time, AvantAir is offering a special on the fractional purchase of flight time. They are offering an introductory rate of %95,000 for 25 hours with a 12 month term. The company is also offering a 15 hour special.

World's Most Expensive Dog $580,000

A Chinese woman has just purchased the world's most expensive dog , Tibetan mastiff. The sales price was $580,000. The dog was met at the airport with a motorcade of luxury cars.

Canadian billionaire Guy Laliberte is Canada's First Space Tourist

Canadian billionaire Guy Laliberte, who owns Cirque du Soleil, is planning on becoming the world's seventh and Canada's first space tourist and is set to travel on a Russian Soyuz space craft at the end of September.

Michael Jackson Glove Sold for $49,000

A white glove covered in jewels, which had been worn by Michael Jackson , sold at a Melbourne Australia auction for $49,000 at the auction house Bonhams and Goodman, which was almost double the estimated price. The high bidder was Warwick Stone on behalf of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The glove was worn by Jackson in 1996, on the day he married Debbie Rowe.

The Most Expensive Car Sold at Auction

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The most expensive automobile sold at auction, according to AutoSpies, was the 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa which was hammered at $12.2 million at the RM’s Leggenda e Passione event in Maranello, Italy. Second place was a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder which went for $10.9 million. Picture shows a more modern Testarossa.

How Much is the Most Expensive Hotel in the World?

The Royal Penthouse Suite at the President Wilson Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland, has the most expensive hotel room in the world , at a reasonable $65,000. The suite has a cocktail lounge, a private elevator, four bedrooms, and six bathrooms. The second highest is the Ty Warner Penthouse, at the Four Seasons Hotel, in New York.

Connecticut Island for Sale $2.1 Million

Horse Island, an island in Connecticut is up for sale for $2.1 million . The 3/4 of an acre island has water, electricity, phone lines and a septic system, and includes a four bedroom house.

$24,000 for a Haircut

The Sultan of Brunei hired a plane to fly his British barber to his home to do a $24,000 haircut . It is believed to be the most expensive haircut ever.

07620 is the Most Expensive Zip Code in the US

Forbes recently came out with its list of the top 500 most expensive ZIP codes in the United States, and the number one on the top of the list was 07620, which is Alpine, N.J. The average median home price in Alpine is $4.14 million. Sean "Diddy" Combs lives there.

T. Boone Pickens will be speaking at Indiana University Sept. 18

On September 18, billionaire T. Boone Pickens will be speaking at Indiana University presenting "America's Foreign Oil Dependency Crisis." Pickens created the Pickens Plan which promotes solar and wind energy.

Billionaire Larry Ellison Compensation Drops to $84.5 million

Billionaire Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle, received a compensation package for fiscal 2009 amounting to $84.5 million , down $100,000 from the previous year. But you don't need to feel sorry for him having a drop in pay, since he also generated $124.2 million by exercising 10 million stock options during the fiscal year.

10 Foot House in New York for Sale: Only $2.7 Million

A house that is reported to be the thinnest house in New York at 9 1/2 feet wide, is up for sale for $2.7 million. This Greenwich Village house at at 75 1/2 Bedford St. was the previous home of anthropologist Margaret Mead and poet Edna St. Vincent Millay.

Bitch New York

No, we're not talking about an actress that lives in Manhattan. Do you like to dress up your pet in designer clothes? LuxuryLifestyle.com discovered Bitch New York , which carries everything from fine pet jewelry to designer dog shoes to pet perfumes. They also offer designer dog beds, luxury dog carriers, and trendy designer dog collars.

Warren Buffett Now Buying Foreign Debt and Corporate Bonds

Warren Buffett, head of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A), has cut back on stock investments, down to the lowest purchasing level in five years. Instead, he is moving his money into corporate bonds and bonds issued by foreign governments .

If you want your child to become a Billionaire, you should send them to This College

Forbes just completed its first time ever billionaire college study, and concluded that Harvard produces the most billionaires . Some of their graduates include Philip Falcone, John Paulson, Ken Griffin, and of course, Bill Gates of Microsoft (MSFT) who attended Harvard but dropped out.

The $100 Million Dollar Bonus

Andrew J. Hall, at the commodities trading firm Philbro, is entitled to a $100 million bonus due to his successful trading in oil . However, there may be an issue with him getting paid, since his contract is with Citigroup (C) which trades on the NYSE, a bank that has received government bailout funds. This in spite of the fact that he generated $2 billion in trading profits for Citigroup over the last five years. During the 1970's, Philbro was where Marc Rich worked, the billionaire who was pardoned by President Bill Clinton.

Own Rare Hollywood Memorabilia

Starting today, over 200,000 Square Feet of movie props, antiques, and other motion picture memorabilia is being auctioned off by GreatAmerican . There is everything from statues to phone booths to furniture . The auction will go on for three days.

The Most Expensive Street in the World

The most expensive street in the world is Avenue Princesse Grace in Monaco , with each square meter of apartment space costing £73,000 or about $120,000. However, because of the recession, apartment prices are down by 37% from 2008's peak of £116,000 a square metre.

John Dillinger's Double Derringer just Sold at Auction for over $95,000

The antique firearms market must be getting hot. A Remington .41 Caliber Rimfire "Double Derringer" taken from John Herbert Dillinger when arrested in Tucson, Arizona just sold for $95,600 at a Heritage Auction Galleries auction . When he was arrested at the time, Dillinger was quoted as saying, "My God, how did you know I was in town? I'll be the laughing stock of the country! How could a hick-town police force ever suspect us." This item sold for more than double the estimate of $35,000 to $45,000.

Recession Has Hit the Aftermarket of TV Stations

One of the San Francisco television stations, KRON-TV, was originally purchased by Young Broadcasting Co., a New York Based company which paid $823 million. Last year, it was valued at $150 million and when it went to auction this week, it received no bids .

Who Wants to Own Their Own Magazine?

If you have ever thought about going into the publishing business, you might want to consider buying BusinessWeek Magazine , which has been put up for sale by Mcgraw-Hill. Evercore Partners is reportedly handling the sale.

$1.68 Million for a Lunch

A Canadian paid $1.68 million for a lunch with famous billionaire and investor Warren Buffett. The lunch, which was sold through a charity auction, includes eight people at New York's Smith & Wollensky steakhouse.

Most Expensive City in the World

The Mercer's 2009 Worldwide Cost of Living survey was just released and it reported that the most expensive city in the world is Tokyo , followed by Osaka, Moscow, and Geneva. Tokyo's cost of living increased by over 13% from last year.

Billionaire Steve Jobs had a Liver Transplant

The new is out now. Steve Jobs, who has a net worth or $3.4 billion, had a Liver Transplant in Tennessee a couple months ago.

Picasso Portrait Sells for $95 million

At a recent Sotheby's auction, a Picasso portrait of his mistress from 1941, called "Dora Maar with cat," sold for $95 million , the second most expensive auction price for a painting in history. Trivia: Did you know that at the time of Picasso's death, he was considered the wealthiest man in the world, based on the retail value of his paintings?

Soldier Auctions Off Rare 'Federalist' Book

A soldier who paid only $7 many years ago for the rare book, The Federalist , from the 1700's, is having Heritage Auction Galleries of Dallas auction it off for him today. The current bid is $30,000.

Most Expensive City in the World for Culture

According to a recent survey, London is the most expensive city in the world , with regard to culture, landmarks, and museums.

Father's Day Gift Ideas

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Remember, Father's Day is only a little over a week away, on June 21. Here are some more gift ideas, courtesy of Stockerblog.com : Zimbabwe $100 Trillion Dollar Bill Forbes subscription The Wall Street Journal [1-year subscription] subscription Brass Bull & Bear Marble Bookends, Chrome Plated Executive Gift Wall Street Stock Market Brass Bull and Bear Sculpture Desk Clock

Parking Space Sells for $300,000

A parking space in the Back Bay section of Boston sold for $300,000 , believed to be the highest price ever paid for a parking space in Boston and the most expensive real estate in terms of square footage. The starting bid was $250,000.

President Lincoln's Pitcher Up for Auction

A Tiffany's silver pitcher that reads, "To The President of the United States Abraham Lincoln. From your friends in Washington." is up for auction on Saturday June 6th at 10 a.m. at Cowen's Auctions.

Corvette Creator's 1963 Corvette Up for Auction

Speaking of Cars, the personal Corvette of Harley Earl, the man responsible for the Chevrolet Corvette's conception , will be sold at auction in June at the Mecum Bloomington Gold Corvette Auction.

Most Expensive Car to Insure

Can you guess what the most expensive 2009 car to insure is? According to insure.com, the most expensive car to insure is the 485-horsepower 2009 Nissan GT-R , which costs about $2,533 in premium.

$232 Million Jackpot Largest in History

A young, poor, unmarried rancher won the largest undivided lottery jackpot in history , $232 million. He bought the ticket in a town called Winner.

Who Wants to be a Quadrillionaire !

Want to be a Quadrillionaire? Just buy ten $100 trillion dollar bills issued by Zimbabwe, and you will become a quadrillionaire (in Zimbabwe dollars). Now that the inflation rate of Zimbabwe has exceeded 231,000,000% (that's the official rate, some economists believe that it is 89,700,000,000,000,000,000,000%), the country has been issuing $100 trillion dollar bills! Therefore, if you own one of these bills, you are technically a trillionaire (in Zimbabwe dollars). These bills, which are available from antiquestocks.com, would make great Greeting Card stuffers , corporate giveaways, or inflation-related lecture handouts. So next time a friend or relative asks for a loan, give them one of these.

Auction of Rare Audrey Hepburn Postage Stamp

A rare German postage stamp that shows the famous British actress Audrey Hepburn smoking is going to be auctions with a minimum bid of about $42,000. All of those stamps were supposed to have been destroyed at the request of her son. It will be auctioned on Tuesday at Berlin's Kempinski Hotel Bristol.

New Diamond Sale Sets New Record

At Sotheby's, a flawless blue diamond which weighs 7.03 carats sold today for $9.49 million , setting a record as it is the highest price paid per carat for any diamond or for that matter, any gemstone at an auction.

Bargains on Private Islands

Now is your chance to pick up your own island. Because of the recession, several Australian islands off the Great Barrier Reef are on the market and have been reduced in price. Many of the island prices have been cut in half.

Most Expensive Wine

Forbes Magazine came out with its list of the most expensive wines . At the top of the list is 1787 Chateau Lafitte, a Bordeaux which sells for $160,000.

You've Got to Be Kidding: Billionaire Richard Branson Wants to Fight Stephen Colbert

Billionaire Richard Branson said in an interview that he wants to fist-fight comedian Stephen Colbert . Colbert agreed, but only if they duel with naked models clinging to their backs.

Tsingtao Brewery being Bought Out by Chinese Billionaire

Chinese billionaire Chen Fashu is paying $235 million for Anheuser-Busch InBev's the remaining ownership in China’s Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd. Anheuser-Busch InBev is the largest brewer in the world.

Bling Bikini is Most Expensive Swimsuit

In Great Britain, the most expensive swimsuit went on sale for $2,900. 'Bling Bikini' is handmade with 5,000 crystals, and is on sale at the Selfridge's department store in London.

Billionaire Accused of 'Looting' the Yellowstone Club

Billionaire Tim Blixseth, founder of the Yellowstone Club, a 13,600-acre private ski resort, is accused by the creditors' attorney of 'looting' the resort .

Billionaire Ron Baron Has to Tear Down Wall

Founder of the investment management company, Baron Capital Management, billionaire Ron Baron was told that he needs to tear down a wall at his East Hampton property , if he wants to get out of his eight misdemeanor charges for the destruction of a 3,000-year-old sand dune. He paid $103,000,000 for the home a couple years ago.

Malibu Mega-Mansion

The blog, ThisIsTrueLies, has a picture of a huge Malibu mega mansion that was used in the Jay-Z video 'Hey Papi'.

Billionaire Icahn Wants MGM to File for Bankruptcy

Activist investor and billionaire Icahn wants MGM to file for bankruptcy because of the company's $13 billion debt load. Icahn is a major bondholder of MGM Mirage.

Raffles Hotel is Up for Sale

The grand hotel in Singapore, the Raffles, owned by the famous investor Prince Alwaleed of Saudi Arabia , is up for sale. The price is only $450 million. The Prince decided to sell as his net worth dropped from $21 billion to $13 billion.

Billionaire Allen Stanford Threatens to Punch Interviewer in the Mouth

Allen Stanford is the billionaire who was accused of financial fraud to the tune of $9 billion. When a journalist asked Stanford about the accusations, Stanford threatened to punch him in the mouth .

Who Wants to be a Billionaire

A recent Forbes article describes how to become a billionaire, and what billionaires have in common, such as dropping out of college, joining Skull & Bones, and getting a job at Goldman Sachs .

US has the Most Expensive Ski Lift Tickets in the World

19 of the 20 most expensive six-day lift tickets are in the United States, according to the 2009 World Ski Lift Ticket Price Report. The most expensive is Deer Valley, Utah, with Vail in second place.

Billionaire Francois-Henri Pinaul (Salma Hayek's billionaire husband) Held Hostage

The husband of Salma Hayek, billionaire Francois-Henri Pinaul, was held hostage in his car by some of his employees because of layoffs at his company, PPR, owner of Gucci stores.

Billionaire Larry Ellison Now the Official Challenger in the America's Cup

Oracle software billionaire Larry Ellison, won a lawsuit against Swiss billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli to become the Official Challenger in the America's Cup , the leading international yachting championship.

Billionaire in Space

Charles Simonyi, an American billionaire who made his money at Microsoft, just flew off into space on a Russian rocket. He paid about $30 million for the privilege and this is his second space flight.

How Would You Like to Buy Michael Jackson's Dirty Socks for $800?

Lots of Michael Jackson's stuff is being auctioned off by JuliensAuctions, so that he can raise cash to pay off his debts. This 'stuff' includes the gates to Neverland Ranch, mannequins, awards, autographs, and of course tube socks.

English Village for Sale

Linkenholt in Hampshire, southern England is up for sale for $31 to $35 million. The village includes a manor house, a rectory, a clock tower and a 2,000-acre estate .

$317,200 for a Comic Book

Well, there is no recession for collectible comic books. An Action Comics No. 1 comic book sold for $317,200 in an Internet auction by Metropolis Collectibles. Supposedly, only about 100 of these comics exist. The previous owner, in Oakland, California, only paid 35 cents for it in 1951. This is an average annual return of 27.5%.

Supermodel Robot $200,000

Japanese scientists have come up with a female humanoid robot that will appear on a catwalk as a fashion model. The robot, who's name is HRP-4C, is 5 feet 2.5 inches tall and weighs 95 pounds. She will appear in a Tokyo fashion show next week without any clothes on. Her programming technology will be open source so that the owner can come up with other movements for her body. She has 30 motors in her body and can move her arms and her face.

Anguilla Resort Offers Discounts to Madoff Victims

The Kamique Resort on the island of Anguilla in the Caribbean is offering 20% to 30% off for investors who can prove that they invested with Bernie Madoff and lost money with him. The Transracial blog discovered this discount for the eight person/four-bedroom villas which start at $2,450 per night, and the 12 person/six-bedrooms villas from $2,940 per night. They each come with their own private swimming pools and much, much more. Pictures of this luxury resort can be found at Transracial's website .

Guest Article: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking

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Mastering the Art of Public Speaking by Larry Underwood author of the book Life Under the Corporate Microscope: A Maverick's Irreverent Perspective Underwood started out his career working behind the counter renting cars to people at Enterprise Rent-a-Car, and worked his way up the corporate ladder, eventually becoming a multimillionaire earning almost $4 million per year, and retiring before the age of 49 Mastering the Art of Public Speaking Let’s face it; most people don’t like giving presentations in front of large audiences. In fact, that type of endeavor absolutely terrifies the vast majority of people, and those who aren’t completely frozen with fear generally still feel at least somewhat uncomfortable and ill at ease; probably because they lack confidence, and somehow feel that the audience won’t like them, for whatever reason, or that they’ll screw the presentation up, and not cover the necessary material in a smooth and cohesive way. In other words, they let their anxiet

Billionaire Gets a 99.8% Pay Cut

The billionaire Stephen A. Schwarzman, who founded the Blackstone Group (BX), had his pay cut from $180 million in 2007 to $350,000 in 2008, a 99.8% drop . The chief executive, Hamilton E. James, had a pay cut of only 73%.

Haunted Mansion for Sale: $5.5 million

The Magnolia Mansion in New Orleans near the French Quarter was built in 1857. It is known for its ghosts. The house is now used as a bed and breakfast and has 13 guest rooms each with a private bath. The sales price is $5.5 million.

If You Have Traveled Around the World, the Next Sojourn should be Outer Space

Have you ever thought about being an astronaut, but thought it was impossible? Now it is possible. A company called Space Adventures offers suborbital space flights, orbital space flights, and are even planning a lunar mission to the general public. This isn't a fly-by-night company; they have been around since 1998, and Google (GOOG) Co-Founder Sergey Brin is a Space Adventures' Orbital Spaceflight Investor. One of their customers is planning on returning on a second flight.

How About a Luxury Oil Rig Resort?

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There are plans for a 300 room luxury hotel to be built upon a no longer used oil rig . It will have a casino, a pool , and a diving bell.

Icahn Increases Ownership of Lions Gate

Billionaire Carl Icahn, who is an activist investor increased his ownership of Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. to the tune of 200,000 shares, giving him 14.5% ownership of the company .

Antigua Distressed by Billionaire Sir Robert Allen Stanford

Sir Robert Allen Stanford has been accused by the U. S. Government of an $8 billion fraud. Although he is from Texas, he owns two banks, two restaurants, a newspaper, and a cricket stadium in Antigua. This to the dismay of the residents of this small island nation .

Russian / NYC Billionaire Buying Real Estate

It's not a recession for some individuals. The Russian born Len Blavatnik, who made his money in oil and lives in New York City, has been buying real estate in Florida, Nevada, California and Texas .

Russian Billionaire Decides Not to Buy Most Expensive House

Russia's richest billionaire, Mikhail Prokhorov, has backed out of buying the world's most expensive house , the Villa Leopolda, on the French Riviera near Nice. The sales price would have been $633 million.

Auction of First Postage Stamp

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Sotheby's is planning an auction of the first public postal system adhesive stamp, known as the " Penny Black ". Queen Victoria appears on the stamp, showing a portrait of her when she was 15. The stamp was released in 1840.

Unique Second Home: A Cave House

If you like to collect houses, you need to take a look at the cave home that is up for sale. Don't let the cave reference scare you away. The cave house has hardwood floors, fancy bathrooms, and no cooling or heating equipment needed. The price is a very reasonable $300,000.

Guest Article: My Business Success Philosophy

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My Business Success Philosophy by Larry Underwood author of the book Life Under the Corporate Microscope: A Maverick's Irreverent Perspective Underwood started out his career working behind the counter renting cars to people at Enterprise Rent-a-Car, and worked his way up the corporate ladder, eventually becoming a multimillionaire earning almost $4 million per year, and retiring before the age of 49 I was fortunate enough to have worked for a company, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, that believed in rewarding their managers for "bottom line" performance, with an incentive based pay plan that paid me millions for running a (highly) profitable operation for the company. As one of its top executives, I was also afforded the opportunity to run my operation with a great deal of autonomy; to stick to the company's core values as far as not only taking care of customers, as well as employees, in an honest and straightforward manner, but to carry out my responsibilities in a manner

Nude Photo of Madonna Sold for $37,500

A black and white photo of Madonna in the nude when she was 20 years old sold for over $37,000 at Christie's in New York last Thursday. The photo was taken by Lee Friedlander, and had a high auction estimate of only $15,000.

Five Most Expensive Homes for Sale

According to Zillow, there are five houses for sale for over $300,000,000. Here they are: San Juan Bautista, CA $879,000,101 Queen Creek AZ 85242 $500,000,000 Black Mountain NC 28711 $460,000,000 Hope Hull AL 36043 $399,900,000 Newport Beach CA 92657 $329,500,010

Santonio Holmes Super Bowl Gloves to be Sold

Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh Steelers receiver who had the game winning touchdown, is auctioning off the gloves that he used to catch the ball with . Proceeds will go towards the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Inc. The gloves have a buy-it-now price of $1 million .

Buy Lincoln's Victory Speech

You can purchase Abraham Lincoln's handwritten Victory Speech at an upcoming Christie's auction on February 12. Estimated sales price is expected to be between $3 million to $4 million.

State of Mississippi Jet to be Auctioned

If you are looking for a good deal on a jet, watch for the upcoming auction of a jet owned by the State of Mississippi , which had been used to fly around the Governor and other state officials. The jet is estimated to sell at about $3.7 million. The jet may be auctioned off on eBay. Speaking of eBay, the Bernie Madoff stock certificate still hasn't sold yet .

A $43,000 Suit

If you are in the market for new clothing, you might want to consider a Brioni 'Vanquish II' suit , for a reasonable price of only $43,000. It is made from rare and exotic fibers such as vicuna, pashmina and Qiviuk.

For the Antique Stock Certificate Collector who has Everything: Bernie Madoff stock certificate

If you like to collect old and antique stock certificates, you might have a stock signed by Harry Houdini , or Thomas Edison or Walt Disney . But chances are, you don't have one signed by Bernard Madoff. An eBay seller has turned up one that is signed by Madoff and is selling it for $100,000 .

Christie's Layoffs

It looks like the troubled economy is affecting the high end auction markets. Christie's is laying off a significant number of staff members .

Get Paid to Live on a Tropical Island

Many people have a dream of eventually buying their own island or paying to live on their own tropical island. How would you like to be paid to live on a paradise island instead? The island is Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef off Australia. The Queensland's state government is willing to pay someone $105,000 per year to be the island's caretaker . You know, check out the beaches by walking along the water line, checking out the coral reefs by snorkeling, etc. Don't wait, get your application in by February 22. By the way, did you see the article on the island for sale for only one dollar ?

Rare Bugatti Automobile Sitting in Garage for 50 Years

A 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante car was found in a garage in England. It had been sitting there for almost 50 years. This is one of only 17 cars of this type known to exist.