BillionairesLife.com

Private Paradise Island for Sale

2011-12-22T11:35:00.000-08:00

What a way to start off the new year. The The East Sister Rock Island retreat off the Florida Keys is up for sale. It has a nice 5000 square foot home with four bedrooms, three baths, a guest house, a pool, a helicopter pad, and a private boat dock (along with a boat). Of course it has its own private beach.

The property, which had previously been rented out to vacationers for $5,000 a week, is available to you for a measly $12,000,000. It is available through Century 21.

BillionairesLife.com 2011 Christmas List

2011-12-01T23:22:00.000-08:00

Roulette de Monte Carlo Antique Stock Certificate handsigned by Marcel Duchamp
$1,082,500

Water Jet Pack to fly in the air above lakes and the ocean
$100,000

Red Rock Island in San Francisco Bay, the only private island in the San Francisco bay area
$22 million

Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon 5002 P watch
$1.5 million

dunhill of London Biometric Wallet
$850

Popsicle Made with Tequila and Gold Flakes
$1000

Dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in 'The Seven Year Itch'
$4,600,000

The town of Scenic, South Dakota
$799,000

1,848 acre Walton Ranch
$100 million

Diamond Encrusted Contact Lenses
$15,000

Chipkos Footwear Handpainted Flip-Flops
$18,000

Gold Cell Phone
$57,400

22 carat solid gold Tata Nano Car
$4,600,000

Diamond-Studded Bra
$2.5 Million

A Bed that Floats in the Air
$expensive

$100 Trillion Dollar Bill
$12.95

The Ultimate Gift: A Bed that Floats in the Air

2011-12-01T23:13:00.000-08:00

How well would you sleep if you were on a bed that floats in the air, using reverse magnetism? At UniverseArchitecture, a gravity-free bed was developed. According to the web site, "Four thin cables assure its motionless position and form the only contact with the ground. The form of the original design is inspired by the monolith from the Stanley Kubrick film 2001, A Space Odyssey. For the Hollywood film Arthur, a round version was created in 2011."

If you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it.

Billionaire Books

2011-11-17T22:38:00.000-08:00

Some billionaire reading material, just in time for the Thanksgiving weekend.

How to be a Billionaire: Proven Strategies from the Titans of Wealth

The Outsider's Edge: The Making of Self-Made Billionaires

Billionaire: Secrets to Success

Billionaire! How the Ultra-Rich Built Their Fortunes through Good and Evil, and What You Can Learn from Them

Billionaire In Training

Happier Than a Billionaire: Quitting My Job, Moving to Costa Rica, and Living the Zero Hour Work Week

The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal

1,000 Dollars and an Idea: Entrepreneur to Billionaire: Expanded Edition

Everything Is Possible: Life and Business Lessons from a Self-Made Billionaire and the Founder of Slim-Fast

The Billionaire Who Wasn't: How Chuck Feeney Made and Gave Away a Fortune Without Anyone Knowing

The Billionaire's Vinegar: The Mystery of the World's Most Expensive Bottle of Wine

Getting Rich Quick: Man Finds $500,000 at Storage Auction

2011-11-17T22:28:00.000-08:00

A man in Contra Costa County, California who took a hint from the Storage Wars TV show, decided to bid $1,100 on an abandoned storage unit. Much to his surprise and delight, one of the plastic bins in the unit contained gold and silver worth $500,000. The plastic bin was so heavy, three men had to lift it.

Elizabeth Taylor Collection to be Auctioned

2011-11-11T22:01:00.000-08:00

On December 13, Christie's will auction off The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor which includes her jewelry, clothes and movie souvenirs. There will be a public exhibition in New York City during December 3 through December 12 in the Rockefeller Center gallery.

The highlight of the auction is the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond, which is a 33.19 carat rectangular cut ring and is expected to be hammered at $2.5 to $3.5 million.

$2.5 Million Diamond-Studded Bra worn by Miranda Kerr

2011-11-11T21:14:00.000-08:00

Supermodel Miranda Kerr was chosen to wear the $2.5 million diamond-studded bra created by London Jewelers at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in New York. The bra has almost 3,400 precious gems amounting to 279 carats.

This is one of many Fantasy Bras. For the Victoria's Secret catalog, the first Fantasy Bra was worn by Claudia Schiffer in 1996 and was worth $1 million. The first Fantasy Bra worn for the annual Victoria's Secret Angels fashion show was worth $12.5 million and was worn by Heidi Klum.

John Lennon's Gross Looking Tooth Sold for $32,000 at Auction

2011-11-06T23:28:00.000-08:00

John Lennon of The Beatles had a molar removed and gave it to his housekeeper many years ago. The tooth just sold at an Omega Auction House auction in England on Saturday for over $32,000. The estimated sales price was $16,000.

The winning bidder was purportedly a Canadian dentist.

Wells Fargo Opens Bank for Super Wealthy

2011-11-06T18:59:00.000-08:00

Wells Fargo is opening a bank i9n Chicago called Abbot Downing, which caters to the very, very wealthy. After opening in Chicago next April, it plans to open more branches in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Scottsdale, Denver, Houston, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Raleigh, Naples, Jacksonville and Palm Beach. The bank is designed for people with $50 million in investable assets.

One of the bizarre features about the bank is that it "will have psychologists on staff to build family genealogies" according to recent news reports. What does psychology have to do with genealogy?

$6400 Toilet

2011-10-16T19:50:00.000-07:00

Finally, a toilet for the wealthy. A toilet with a remote control, a magnetic docking station, and user presets. It also has an automatic water saving flush system. The price is a reasonable $6400.

In addition, the toilet has a motion activated lid and seat, advanced bidet functionality, a heated seat, feet warmer, air dryer and deodorizer. It even plays music through its built-in speakers, and allows you to attach an MP3 player to it. The motion detector can detect when you are approaching and can determine whether the lid should be raised and whether the toilet seat should be raised or lowered.

Cheap Little Tata Nano Car for Just $4.6 Million

2011-09-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

Tata Motors, manufacturers of the popular Nano automobiles in India, has joined forces with the Tata GoldPlus jewellery business to develop a Tata Nano car, the company's cheapest car, covered in 80 kilograms of 22 carat solid gold, 15 kilos of silver, and numerous precious stones including diamonds, rubies and other expensive gemstones.

The car, which normally sells for about $3,000 is worth $4.6 million. 14 various techniques of jewellery making went into the project.

$57,400 for a Gold Cell Phone

2011-09-17T21:18:00.000-07:00

Here is the ultimate cell phone, but beware, it is not a smart phone. It does have speed dialing, call screening, forwarding, waiting, Bluetooth®, conference calls, texting functions, a world clock, alarm, notes, to-do list, calendar, calculator and converter.

The phone has an 18 carat solid yellow gold 3N keypad, rear plate, end cap and knurled side plates. It has a ceramic upper with highest grade of ultra-glossy finish
plus a sapphire crystal lens with ARdur™ coating.

The sounds include Bespoke ringtones and sounds composed by Vietnamese-Danish ‘master of the upright bass’, Chris Minh Doky.

The price is a reasonable $57,400.

Photo courtesy of aesir-copenhagen.com.

Private Island for Sale

2011-09-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

Allan Island, located near Anacortes, Washington, is being sold by Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen at a discounted price. It was originally listed for $25 million, but is now being offered at $13.5 million.

The 292-acre island includes a small house, a 2,400 foot airstrip and a boat dock. The property is being offered by Windermere Real Estate.

Car Sells for $16 Million: Sets World Record

2011-08-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

Do you have room in your garage for this one? A 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa prototype sold at auction for $16,390,000. The car has a V-12 engine and has raced in Nurburgring, Targa Florio, Laguna Seca, Le Mans and Sebring.

$18,000 Flip-Flops

2011-08-20T18:12:00.000-07:00

Just in time for the rest of the summer. Chipkos Footwear is selling flip-flops that have been handpainted in 18-karat gold by David Palmer, a Los Angeles based artist. The purchase of this footwear includes the protection of 100,000 square feet of Costa Rican rainforest, two nights at a green Beverly Hills hotel, and a meeting with the artist.

The flip-flops sell for $18,000.

43 Carat Diamond to be Auctioned

2011-08-13T18:23:00.000-07:00

The Golden Eye, a huge 43.5 carat yellow diamond measuring about an inch long and almost 3/4 inches wide, will be auctioned off by Bid4Assets with a reserve price of $900,000. It had been confiscated by the Federal government in a sting operation involving money laundering in Ohio.

The auction will have bid increments of $110,000 and bidders are required to put up a deposit of $180,000. The auction that begins Sept. 6 and ends Sept. 8. More details about the auction can be found at Bid4Assets.

Picture courtesy of the US Marshals Office.

Diamond Encrusted Contact Lenses

2011-08-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

If your vision isn't that good, you have a couple options: either eye glasses or contact lenses. But if you are rich, you have one more option, called eye jewelry. If you want people to look at you and maintain eye contact, you might want to consider diamond encrusted gold plated contact lenses.

These lenses are made by Shekhar Eye Research and sell for only $15,000. There are 18 diamonds embedded in the gold for each lens.

Walton Ranch for Sale: $100 Million

2011-08-08T22:22:00.000-07:00

Located between Yellowstone and Grand Teton Parks, the 1,848 acre Walton Ranch is up for sale for $100 million. The property includes a two-story, 2,234-square-foot main house plus a manager’s housing complex with two homes, bunkhouse, outbuildings, sheds, barns and corrals.

For the Billionaire Who has Everything: Buy Your Own Town

2011-07-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

The town of Scenic, South Dakota, is up for sale for a reasonable $799,000. What a great deal for a billionaire! Cheaper than a Lear Jet, a Rolls Royce, or a mansion. The town is 46 acres, is practically a ghost town with a population of 10, and has a dance hall, a saloon, and a jail.

Government Confiscates Gold Coins Worth Millions

2011-07-23T11:05:00.000-07:00

The United States Government confiscated 20 Saint-Gaudens double-eagle gold coins that were found by a woman in her deceased father's safe deposit box, saying that the coins never should have been released from the US Mint. These types of coins have sold for many millions in the past.

The woman had sent them to the US Treasury Department for authentication, and the government said that the coins were stolen from the government. The case went to court and the government decided in the government's favor.

$1.6 Million for Jane Austen Manuscript

2011-07-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

Sotheby's auctioned off an unfinished early Jane Austen manuscript sold at auction in London on Thursday for about $1.6 million, which was three times its estimate. It is the only major manuscript by Austen still in private hands.

Billionaire William Koch Pays $2.3 million for Photo

2011-06-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

The energy billionaire William Koch bought a photograph of Billy the Kid for $2.3 million at an auction held by Old West Auction in Denver, Colorado. This is the only known photo of Billy the Kid known to exist. The estimate was $300,000 to $400,000.

The picture is from approximately 1879 and shows 'The Kid' with a Winchester carbine and a Colt 45 pistol.

$110,000 for a Gun

2011-06-24T22:36:00.000-07:00

A Colt .38 revolver that was previously owned by the famous gangster Al Capone was auctioned off by Christie's and was hammered at $110,000. The pistol was manufactured a few months after the famous Valentine's Day massacre in Chicago. The buyer and seller were not disclosed.

Dress Sold for $4.6 Million: It Belonged to Marilyn Monroe

2011-06-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in 'The Seven Year Itch' when she was standing over a grate on the sidewalk with air blowing up under her? That dress just sold for $4.6 million at the Profiles in History auction house. Actually, the total cost to the buyer was $5,520,000 with auction fees. The dress was consigned by actress Debbie Reynolds, along with numerous other Hollywood collectible memorabilia items.

Total amount raised in the auction was $22.8 million. If you feel bad about missing out, they will be more memorabilia auctioned off in December of this year.

Photos courtesy of Wikipedia

A Million Dollar Lunch with Warren Buffett

2011-06-05T21:45:00.000-07:00

You now have an opportunity to have lunch with with Warren Buffett, head of Berkshire Hathaway. Buffett will host a lunch to benefit the San Francisco based Glide Foundation and its programs. The bidding has just begun on eBay and will close June 10, 2011 at 7:30 pm PDT. Buffett will have a meal with the winning bidder and up to seven friends at Smith & Wollensky in New York City on a date agreed to by both parties.

All bidders must pre-qualify. The current bid is still at the opening bid of $25,000.

100% of all auction proceeds from the winning bid will benefit Glide, a social service institution which alleviates human suffering and poverty in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Last year, $2.6 million was paid by an anonymous person from the US for lunch with Buffett, and the year before $1.68 million was paid by a Canadian investment firm. It is expected that this year's lunch will be hammered for at least one million dollars.

Gisele Bundchen May Be First Billionaire Supermodel

2011-06-05T21:11:00.000-07:00

The 31 year old Brazilian supermodel and businesswoman, Gisele Bundchen, may become the first billionaire supermodel. According to Forbes Magazine, she earns $45 million a year and may have a net worth of a billion dollars by next year, through her real estate, clothing lines, jewelry lines, and celebrity contracts.

Gisele Bündchen is also the center of her own stock index developed by Stockerblog.com, the Gisele Bundchen Stock Index. She is connected to many publicly traded companies, acting as spokesperson for their products. Based on the returns on the stocks she is connected with over the last four years, the Gisele Bundchen Stock Index has significantly outperformed the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Top Designer Jeans for Billionaire Women

2011-06-05T20:58:00.000-07:00

Top Designer Jeans for Billionaire Women

By A. Brown

In the last decade, designer denim has been on the rise in fashion. Every woman wants a pair of jeans that make her look good, and there are many brands out there that can deliver. Here are a few brands worth checking out.

True Religion

Perhaps the most iconic designer denim brand and most definitely the first that comes to mind for fashionistas is True Religion. If you’re unfamiliar with them, you may be familiar with their Buddha logo stitched most often on the back. True Religion creates 1970’s inspired denim that is both fashionable and timeless. For instance, you can grab the “Shiloh Falls” from their Premium Vintage Collection, a distressed denim flair, for $341.

If you are more interested in the skinny denim look, you’re covered there as well with the Women’s “Stella Titan,” a lowrise, medium-washed denim, for $224.

Rock & Republic

A brand that carries both basic and edgy styles of denim is Rock & Republic. Fans of a lowrise bootcut can get the “Kaia in Thrive Blue,” which is a dark wash that costs $180. For a woman that is hankering for more of a rocker edge, the “Collier in Ammunition Armory,” is just the right denim. This look touts a skinny leg, studded front pocket detailing, and a unique white-washing look, all for $215.

Joe’s Jeans

Joe’s Jeans boasts a nice selection of styles and may be the prime choice for more budget-conscious designer denim shoppers. Their latest style, aptly called the “Wide Leg” is a 1970’s inspired bellbottom jean. It can be yours for $169.

If you want to be more on trend, the “Icon Muse” may be for you. This denim is high-waisted with a bootcut leg opening. The high-waist is not too high or extreme, so it’s bound to be a bit more comfortable, as is the price, which is $167.

With these three brands, you are bound to find a denim pant you’ll love for years to come.

Toilet Seat Hat Sold for $131,000

2011-05-23T21:35:00.000-07:00

The hat that looked like a toilet seat which was worn by Princess Beatrice to Britain's royal wedding a few weeks ago, was auctioned off on eBay and sold for $131,000. Proceeds will be donated to two charities, UNICEF and Children in Crisis.

$100,000 Beatles Photographs to be Auctioned

2011-05-23T21:25:00.000-07:00

Photographs of the Beatles from their first US tour during 1964 are going to be auctioned by Christie's in New York on July 20. The pictures have never before been published.

You can preview the photos in June at Christie's and Grosvernor House hotel in London. They are expected to be hammered for over $100,000.

$1000 for a Popsicle ... Made with Tequila ... and Gold Flakes

2011-05-15T12:51:00.000-07:00

Now here is a popsicle that you do not want to give to the kids. Obviously designed for adults of drinking age, and wealthy ones at that, the popsicles served by the pool at the Marquis Los Cabos resort in Baja California sell for $1000 each.

They are made with Tequilas Premium Clase Azul Ultra tequila and 24 ct. gold flakes. If you just want the tequila in its natural state, you only have to pay $500 for a shot.

First House for Billionaire Mark Zuckerberg

2011-05-14T23:11:00.000-07:00

Maybe the real estate market has turned around. Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire founder of Facebook, has purchased his first home, paying $7 million. The house, in Palo Alto, California, has five bedrooms and heated floors in the bathroom.

Great Grad Gift for Kids of Billionaires

2011-05-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

Let the Music Stir You

by A. Brown

"People aren't hearing all the music. Artists and producers work hard in the studio perfecting their sound. But people can't really hear it with normal headphones. Most headphones can't handle the bass, the detail, the dynamics. Bottom line, the music doesn't move you,” Dr. Dre asserts.

You too can use the sound/hearing equipment big name recording artists use in the studio. Beats by Dr. Dre High Performance Headphones from Monster are all the rage. Chances are your teenager wants a set. They are available in a variety of styles.

An over-ear set, the Just Beats Solo inspired by Justin Beiber is $199.95. Desire a High Definition listening experience? The Solo HD Over-Ear set comes in at $229.95. This set is said to protect the bass sound and give the listener the full experience of their favorite music.

Got a future recording artist in the family? They may prefer Beats Pro, which is set up particularly for use in the studio. Beats Pro comes in at $449.95. Prefer an in-ear style? There are also several of those to choose from. You can grab yourself a set of Diddy Beats for a mere $179.95. Lady Gaga fan in the house? Then, pick up a set of Heartbeats by Lady Gaga! All the sound quality and unique style one could want for $149.95.

Prefer listening to music while on your laptop? You’re even covered there! There is a selection of HP laptops that feature Beats Audio. Thought all this covered Beats by Dr. Dre by Monster? You can order a Beat Box for $449.95 to share the superior listening experience with the room-at-large. What better time than now to feel like a big name recording artist?

First Signs of China Suffering Economically

2011-04-23T21:52:00.000-07:00

Economic growth in China has been substantial, making it the world's largest energy consumer. China now has 115 billionaires, according to Forbes Magazine.

However, there are recent signs that things might not be as great as they seem in the largest country in the world. There are indications in the art market that many wealthy Chinese buyers are not following through on their multi-million dollar purchases.

According to a recent article in Newsweek, Chinese purchasers of early Chinese vases, sculptures, and other artwork are taking longer and longer to pay, and sometimes not paying at all. This has caused many of the major auction houses to require substantial deposits before bidding.

Highest Price Ever for a US Home

2011-04-03T00:03:00.000-07:00

Russian billionaire Yuri Milner just paid $100 million for a home in Los Altos Hills, California. The 25,000 square foot house, which resides on 11 acres, has an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, two three-car garages, a carwash and tennis courts. Milner, who is an investor in Facebook, Zynga and Groupon, doesn't plan to move in right away.

This is considered to be a US record purchase price for a home.

Rare Erotic Watch Auction

2011-03-27T20:02:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Antiquorum, the Geneva, Switzerland based auction house, auctioned off 33 watches from the 1700's and 1800's, all with erotic themes. Estimated prices ranged from $20,000 to $90,000. The seller of the collection remains anonymous.

Calf leather and Mahogany Laptop

2011-03-27T19:33:00.000-07:00

Munk Bogballe is offering a calf leather and mahogany laptop with an 18 carat gold and brilliant diamond on/off button. Here are the details on the computer itself:
* Operating system: Windows 7 Home Edition (64 Bit)
* 13.4" display
* Intel Core i5 processor
* 4 GB memory
* 500 GB storage
* Wireless and bluetooth
* Built-in webcam, microphone and stereo speakers
The price, with the special button, is around $9,000.

The $825 Biometric Wallet

2011-03-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

dunhill of London is offering a wallet that can only be opened by you with your fingerprint. It also sounds a warning alarm if either the wallet is stolen or misplaced. The exterior is made with carbon fiber and the interior has a luxurious leather credit card holder and a strong stainless steel money clip. The wallet is available from dunhill's website for $850.

100 Ounce Gold Nugget Sells for Almost Half a Million Dollars

2011-03-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

The largest surviving California gold rush nugget was sold at a Holabird-Kagin Americana auction for $460,000 including buyers premium. It weighed in at 100 troy ounces. It was purchased by Spectrum Numismatics International of Irvine, California on behalf of an anonymous client. The nugget discovered last year in Nevada County, California.

Ming Vase Sold for $1.38 Million

2011-03-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

At the Freeman's auction house in Philadelphia, a 1736 Qianlong period Ming vase sold for $1.38 million, setting a world record. The last time a similar vase was sold was in 2008 by Sotheby's. It was hammered at $750,000.

Youngest Billionaire is No Longer Mark Zuckerberg

2011-03-12T23:28:00.000-08:00

The youngest billionaire is no longer Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. That recognition now goes to Dustin Moskovitz, one of Facebook's co-founders. Moskovitz is eight days younger than Zuckerberg.

$30 Million for a Koons Sculpture

2011-03-12T22:59:00.000-08:00

Sotheby's will be auctioning off the "Pink Panther" sculpture created by Jeff Koons. The auction, which will be held in May, is expected to achieve $30 million for the sculpture.

The sculpture is of a partially nude blond woman holding a large pink panther toy. It was made out of porcelain in 1988.

Northern Italy Medieval Castle for Sale

2011-02-20T21:28:00.000-08:00

If you like castles, you might want to consider acquiring this one. Based in Torino, Italy, it features 39,826 square feet of space, including 30 bedrooms and 47 bathrooms that can accommodate 300 guests. Also included is a Romanic chapel built in the year 850. Heating and air conditioning throughout. If you have to ask how much it is, you can't afford it. The property is being offered by Sotheby's International Realty.

Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon 5002 P Watch for only $1.5 Million

2011-02-20T21:16:00.000-08:00

The most expensive watch in the world is the Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon 5002 P, which retails for a measly $1.5 million. This double faced watch has 686 parts and is made out of platinum. The watchband is made from black crocodile leather.

Spring Training Tickets Going for as Much as $750

2011-02-20T21:02:00.000-08:00

Spring training will be here in a matter of days. Ticket prices for regular baseball games continue to rise, but now tickets for spring training are also increasing. The game between the Yankees and the Red Sox in Fort Myers, Florida on March 14 are now going for $750 a piece.

Factory Worker Finds $1.6 Million Ming Vase

2011-02-05T11:17:00.000-08:00

A retired factory worker in Great Britain discovered a vase from the Ming dynasty dating around the early 1400's. He brought it in to the Duke's Auction House and was told it was worth about $1.6 million. It will be auctioned off in May.

$22 Million for San Francisco Island

2011-02-05T11:08:00.000-08:00

Red Rock Island in San Francisco Bay, the only private island in the San Francisco bay area, is still up for sale at a price of $22 million. It supposedly has pirate gold buried there, and during the 1960's, there was a proposal to build a casino there. The island is 5.8 acres and is the center point for three counties.

Walk on Water and Fly Above Water for a little over $100,000

2011-02-05T11:03:00.001-08:00

For the nominal price of a little over $100,000, you can have a water based jet pack that will allow you to fly above water as high as 50 feet. You can stay in the air for very long periods of time because the 'fuel' that pushes you in the air is basically the water from the lake or ocean that you are flying above. The company that makes this product is called JetLev. I can't wait to see this in the next James Bond movie. Check it out:

$120,000 for JFK Ambulance

2011-01-25T21:34:00.000-08:00

The 1963 gray Pontiac Bonneville ambulance that reportedly carried President john F. Kennedy after his assassination sold at an Arizona auction for $120,000. The auction house Barret-Jackson verified the authenticity of the ambulance.

1970 Lamborghini Miura Le Mans Concept Car for Sale

2011-01-25T21:29:00.000-08:00

The 1970 Lamborghini Miura Le Mans Concept Car, created by the Italian designer, Luigi Colani, is up for sale on eBay for $74,999. This very weird looking car was originally offered last year at $79,000 but didn't sell.

Antique Stock Certificate Sells for over One Million Dollars

2011-01-06T00:32:00.000-08:00

An unusual stock certificate from 1924 from a company called Roulette de Monte Carlo, handsigned by Marcel Duchamp, was hammered at a Christie's auction for $1,082,500 including buyers premium. The certificate features a portrait of Duchamp by Man Ray, with Duchamp's face almost completely covered in shaving cream, and his hair pointed into horns like a devil.

There have been plenty of other old stock certificates, such as Houdini Picture Company stock certificates signed by Houdini, which sells for several thousand dollars, and even fairly modern worthless stock certificates, such as Enron, which sells for around $100. But the Duchamp certificate has achieved the highest price of any antique stock certificate by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

$435,000 Platinum iPad

2010-12-30T10:54:00.000-08:00

Forget a gold iPad. Why buy gold when you can buy platinum? The Solid Platinum iPad SUPREME Edition has been created by Stuart Hughes and has 173 flawless diamonds. Only five of these platinum items are available.

Tax Tips for Billionaires

2010-12-30T10:46:00.000-08:00

Stockerblog recently posted its year end Secret Tax Tips, which includes everything from $20 gold pieces to making anonymous donations with tax deductions. It also covers short selling, Dealing with worthless stocks held in certificate form, and municipal bonds.

Get Full FDIC Coverage on a Billion Dollar Checking Account

2010-12-29T08:59:00.000-08:00

In a move that appears to encourage individuals to move their money into banks (from where? mattresses? stocks? bonds? non-US banks?), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has now decided to insure all non-interest bearing accounts, no matter how much money is in the account.

However, there are a few limitations:

1. This takes effect only between 12/31/2010 and 12/31/2012.

2. It must be a traditional checking account or demand deposit account on which the insured depository institution pays no interest.

3. Any accounts that pay interest do not qualify.

More information can be found HERE about unlimited FDIC coverage.

Toy Ship Sold for $194,500: Had been owned by Malcolm Forbes

2010-12-18T10:20:00.000-08:00

One more auction item for the day. A toy Lusitania ship, about 37 inches long, which was in the estate of Malcolm Forbes, was sold at Sotheby’s in New York yesterday for $194,500. The high estimate on the item was $200,000. The oldest surviving Monopoly set, reached $146,500 on a high estimate of $80,000.Total amount raised from the toy collection was $2.4 million.

Speaking of Weird Auctions: Nazi Baton sold for $731,600 !!!

2010-12-18T10:13:00.000-08:00

A 19 inch Nazi field marshal's baton was auctioned off a couple weeks ago at Alex Cooper Auctioneers in Maryland with an estimate of $10,000 to $15,000. The baton had originally belonged to Nazi Field Marshal Albert Kesselring. It had been found in a castle by an American soldier in 1945. The item was hammered for an amazing $731,600!!!

Oswald Coffin Follow-up

2010-12-18T10:06:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago, we wrote about the auctioning of Lee Harvey Oswald's coffin by Nate Sanders Auctioneers in Santa Monica, California on December 16. Opening bid was $1,000 and the item was hammered at $87,469. What a great Christmas present that would make for any conspiracy theory fan. The buyer of the item has still not been disclosed yet.

You Won't Find This $10,000,000 Book on Amazon

2010-12-07T22:48:00.000-08:00

The worlds most expensive book just sold at a Sotheby's auction for $10,270,000. The book, 'Birds of America,' by John James Audubon, is filled with over 400 hand-colored illustrations of birds. The buyer was not disclosed.

The last time one of these books sold at auction, it went for $8.8 million.

$400 Million Christie's Auction in Hong Kong

2010-12-03T23:03:00.000-08:00

If there is any doubt the wealth of the Chinese, the recent Christie's auction in Hong Kong may prove that the Chinese have plenty of money. $409 million worth of lots were sold. Almost half of the buyers came from mainland China.

A 14.2 carat diamond called "The Perfect Pink" was hammered at $23 million.

Here's a Weird Gift for a Conspiracy Fan

2010-12-03T22:49:00.000-08:00

If you want to get that totally unique gift for someone who likes conspiracies, especially the JFK conspiracy, this item might fit the bill. It is Lee Harvey Oswald's coffin (body not included). Nate D. Sanders Auctioneers will be auctioning off the coffin on December 16 at a starting bid of $1,000. The pre-exhumation coffin is being sold by the Baumgardner Funeral Home. It is expected the the item will sell for far more than the starting price.

BillionairesLife.com Christmas List 2010

2010-11-29T23:22:00.000-08:00

It's time to create your shopping lists. Here are some great luxury gifts for your friends and relatives. These would also make great gifts for you so give this list to your friends and relatives, showing them what you would like to have for Christmas.

Paul Tudor Jones' 14,000 square foot house for only $30 Million.

Michael Jordan's 2007 Mercedes McLaren SLR 722 for $430,000.

An original Apple I computer. $210,000.

IWC Men's IW504207 Portuguese Tourbillon Mystère Watch Price: $88,800.

12 liter bottle of Vieille Bon Secours beer
The most expensive beer in the world for just $1160.

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.

Dartz Prombron Monaco Red Diamond Edition SUV
Includes diamond encrusted speed gauges, gold plated windows, and seats that are made with leather from a male whale's sexual organ. All for only $1,653,800.

Elvis Presley's Hair
For the collector who likes to collect weird stuff, a hunk of hair from Elvis Presley for $18,300.

Caye Chapel Island
In the Bahamas 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.

$100 Trillion Dollars
Finally, for your friends who aren't billionaires or millionaires (or even if they are), a $100 trillion dollar bill from Zimbabwe from AntiqueStocks.com.

We wish that all your holidays are happy.

Billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Bought 1% Interest in GM

2010-11-24T21:16:00.000-08:00

General Motors, the big American automobile manufacturer that went bankrupt, was bailed out by the United States government, and just went public again last week, now has a new part owner. Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal invested $500 million in the company, amounting to a one percent ownership.

The Prince bought into the company because of its potential in China and Brazil.

Who Would Buy an Apple Computer for $210,000

2010-11-24T20:42:00.000-08:00

An Apple computer just sold for $210,000 at a Christie's auction in London. The computer was an Apple I and included a letter handsigned by Steve Jobs, the co-founder and CEO of Apple.

When the computer was first offered in 1976, it sold for $666.66. Only 200 were ever sold.

Steve Wozniak, the other co-founder of Apple was at attendance at the auction. The winning bidder was Francesco Boglione, an Italian businessman and collector of antique computers.

Now You Can Buy Bernie Madoffs Underwear

2010-11-10T23:57:00.000-08:00

The guy behind the largest Ponzi scheme ever, Bernard Madoff, had a Manhattan penthouse and a Long Island beach-house that was confiscated by the Federal government, both of which were filled with his personal items. Now those personal items will be auctioned off and, if you are the high bidder, you will have the great privilege of owning Bernie's used socks, black velveteen slippers, luggage, T-shirts, and of course, his underpants (he wore boxers, not briefs).

The auction will be held on Saturday at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers.

Billionaire Ken Fisher Makes Prediction on the Future of California: Will It Go Bankrupt?

2010-11-10T23:39:00.000-08:00

Money manager and Forbes columnist, Ken Fisher, who is also a billionaire on the Forbes 400, was interviewed in an extensive interview at the Stockerblog site. He said that in the next couple years, California will suffer major budget issues during the next couple years but will not go bankrupt. But beyond that time frame? Yes, bankruptcy is possible. All his comments about California can be seen at Stockerblog.com.

Paul Tudor Jones House for Sale $30 Million

2010-11-10T23:14:00.000-08:00

Hedge fund manager and billionaire Paul Tudor Jones has decided to sell his 14,000 square foot, 11 bedrooms, and 10 bathrooms home for $30 million. The house sits on 6,250 acres of land inhabited by wildlife. The house includes three fire places, library, a basketball court, billiards room, and movie theater.

15,000 square foot Aspen Home bought by Billionaire

2010-11-10T23:05:00.000-08:00

J. Christopher Reyes, the co-chair of Reyes Holdings, the largest distributor of beer in the United States, has purchased a 15,000 square foot home on 44 acres in Aspen, Colorado for $31.5 million (originally listed for $60 million). The property came with a horse stable and guest house.

Who Would Pay $300,000 for a Barbie Doll - A New One!

2010-10-26T18:17:00.000-07:00

A new Barbie Doll recently sold at a New York auction house for an amazing $302,500. Why so much? Maybe because the Barbie was wearing a choker necklace with a one-carat square-cut pink diamond. The doll also had on a black strapless evening dress. The successful buyer was not disclosed.

Housewarming at $1 Billion Home

2010-10-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

A housewarming event is being held at the world's most expensive home which took seven years to construct. The home was built by India billionaire Mukesh Ambani for his family of six.

The house is 400,000 square feet on 27 floors, with three helipads, and a view of the ocean. The house also has a 168 space parking lot, a movie theater, heath club, swimming pool, and yoga studio.

It cost $1,000,000,000 to build.

$430,000 for Michael Jordan's Mercedes

2010-10-20T20:56:00.000-07:00

Michael Jordan's 2007 Mercedes McLaren SLR 722 is up for sale for only $430,000. It has low mileage, only 962 miles. The car goes from zero to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds. The car has a 5 1/2-liter V8 with 640 horsepower. It can speed as fast as 209 miles an hour.

In addition to all the above features of the car, the buyer will also have the benefit of owning a car that was owned and driven by Michael Jordan. Jordan paid $475,000 for the car a few years ago.

Automobile in picture is similar to the one being sold.

$1.7 Million of Teddy Bears Sold

2010-10-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

Christie's just auctioned off over $1.7 million worth of collectible teddy bears, the largest sale of teddy bear toys ever, formerly owned by hedge fund manager Paul Greenwood, who admitted to embezzling $900 million from investors. The highest priced lot was a Harlequin bear from the 1920's, which was hammered at $74,000. All the bears were made by Steiff of Germany.

Billionaire Pays Streaker at Obama Speech

2010-10-14T20:07:00.000-07:00

In the category of billionaire odd news, billionaire Alki David had offered to pay $1 million to anyone who would streak at a speech given by President Obama. A man from Staten Island New York took him up on his offer but was stopped by police before he could complete his run.

Since the streaker made an effort, the billionaire has agreed to pay for the streaker's annual rent, the medical bills of the streaker's sister, and additional funds.

Billionaire Books

2010-10-14T11:03:00.000-07:00

There are over 750 books with the word 'billionaire' in the title. Here is just a small selection.

The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal ~ Ben Mezrich

The Billionaire's Vinegar: The Mystery of the World's Most Expensive Bottle of Wine ~ Benjamin Wallace

1,000 Dollars and an Idea: Entrepreneur to Billionaire: Expanded Edition ~ Sam Wyly

Money Talks, Bullsh*t Walks: Inside the Contrarian Mind of Billionaire Mogul Sam Zell ~ Ben Johnson

Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters: From Dating, Shopping, and Praying to Going to War and Becoming a Billionaire-- Two Evolutionary Psychologists Explain Why We Do What We Do ~ Alan S. Miller, Satoshi Kanazawa

Think Like a Billionaire, Become a Billionaire ~ Scot Anderson

Billionaire Secrets to Success ~ Bill Bartmann

How to be a Billionaire: Proven Strategies from the Titans of Wealth ~ Martin S. Fridson

Trump Strategies for Real Estate: Billionaire Lessons for the Small Investor ~ Andrew James McLean

Damn Right: Behind the Scenes with Berkshire Hathaway Billionaire Charlie Munger ~ Janet Lowe

Speaking of billionaires, don't forget to also check out our previous articles about books about billionaire Warren Buffett and trading like Warren Buffett.

Billionaires Need to Protect Their Privacy

2010-10-14T10:12:00.000-07:00

Guest Article

by John Sileo

Facebook is a cigarette, information is the nicotine, and you are the addict. And it is time to stop blaming Facebook if you get privacy cancer.

Years ago, after a long and drawn out fight, the tobacco industry was forced to put labels on their cigarette packs warning smokers that these nicotine delivery devices caused cancer, birth defects and premature death. The warnings did little to slow down sales of cigarettes, though they might have helped the tobacco companies avoid some costly lawsuits because, after all, they had clearly warned users about the dangers.

With the latest iteration of privacy settings being introduced this week on Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg (or more likely the brilliant Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg) has discovered a similar truth - you are either too addicted to the information drug, or too indifferent to the privacy consequences, to care.

I applaud Facebook for giving users more visibility and a bit more control over how much personal information third party applications can access. They deserve credit for moving the application controls into the privacy section of the website, acknowledging, albeit quietly, that third-party data-mining is a significant source of non-consensual information leakage.

If Facebook would go one step further and demand that third-party apps give us a choice of how much information is shared, along with letting us know how much of our personal information is being shared through the apps that our friends install, we information survivalists would be that much happier. For example, even if you don't allow your third-party apps to share personal information, your friends' third-party apps could be sharing it anyway. But as it stands now, we would never know it.

The good news for Facebook privacy doesn't end there. Facebook has also redesigned the Groups feature, which theoretically gives you a greater level of control over subsets of friends and how much information they can access. For example, you could choose to share your vacation pictures with family and close friends, but not with co-workers who thought you were out sick. Dishonesty aside, group differentiation makes communication within your social network much more like that of the real world - acknowledging that you don't share all things with all people equally.

Here's where the news gets really good for Facebook - they have done their job (or at least have taken steps in the right privacy direction), and they can still bank on you ignoring the very controls they have given you! Sure, those of us who write about social networking professionally will make the changes, but ninety-nine percent of the people who read this article will do nothing with the knowledge. This claim isn't grounded in bitter cynicism, but statistical fact. I hope that 500 million of you will prove me wrong. When the Facebook changes are live for everyone (they are in beta as I type), we'll put up a new video showing you how to make them.

Granted, Facebook hasn't done everything they should do to make THEIR use of OUR data completely transparent to US; but most of US have done nothing to utilize the tools THEY already built to protect OUR privacy anyway, so the point is mute. Facebook is banking billions on our indifference and inaction.

Facebook executives should roll this strategy out to its logical conclusion: give all of us privacy professionals (the Electronic Frontier Foundation, EPIC, the World Privacy Forum, me) exactly what we want, because your Facebook addicts are already too high on info-voyerism to kick the habit. Your product is too good and too necessary to too many people to be hindered by a bit more transparency and a little more control. You have nothing to lose but our complaints.

John Sileo speaks professionally about social media exposure, identity theft and cyber crime for the Department of Defense, Fortune 1000 companies and any organization that wants to protect the profitability of their private information. He is the author of the book Privacy Means Profit: Prevent Identity Theft and Secure You and Your Bottom Line.

Damages Due To and Recovery From the Economic Recession

2010-10-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

The damage that economic recession has done to financial market conditions has been serious. A few of its after-effects include the significant rise in the rate of unemployment, decrease in real estate values, and unsuccessful attempts by some of the world’s biggest corporation to even survive. Even many immigrants, both legal and illegal, have returned back to their home country.
Home foreclosures have been the number one topic in the news. Americans are losing their jobs, and the ones who are lucky enough to keep their jobs are turning to payday loan companies and online lenders. Even the pawnshops are doing a booming business. Consumers are stuck having to do a cash advance comparison to determine the best alternative for borrowing money.

There is an immediate need for a positive change through market revival by getting back to business. The government and major multinational companies need to come forward and take steps in order to help their country get back on their feet. First and foremost, there is a strong need for an increase in the rate of employment rate, both in the public sector as well as the private sector companies. Banks need to start lending more money to both individuals and businesses. But judging from the way things are moving now, it’s very difficult to have an optimistic opinion about the future.

In spite of this downturn in the economy, there has been some encouraging news. According to the Institute of Supply Management, economic activity in the non-manufacturing sector grew for the ninth consecutive month in September. As for manufacturing, the sector expanded in September for the 14th consecutive month, and the overall economy grew for the 17th consecutive month, according to the ISM. More and more investors are having an optimistic prediction that the situation of our economy is going to come back to normal.

Crude oil recently rose above $83 a barrel, another indication that growth in the economy is taking place. But we cannot completely rule out the possibility of things getting worse again; the dreaded 'double-dip'. The US recovery appears to have lost its speed and is struggling to get back with the unemployment issues being a first priority.
Having a positive opinion towards the problem of recession is obviously great, but just a positive approach to it simply won’t fix the problem as it is much more deep rooted than we can ever imagine. The government needs to start tackling this problem starting from the ground level up. Only then will the country be able to slowly but steadily achieve a stronger economy.

Facebook Founder Backs Legal Marijuana

2010-10-09T23:47:00.000-07:00

In the state of California, Proposition 19, if it passes, would legalize the use of marijuana for personal use and taxation. Dustin Moskovitz, one of the co-founders of Facebook and a billionaire, supports the proposition and has donated $70,000 to the cause.

His support is based on his opinions that it would reduce overcrowding of non-violent offenders in prisons and improve the California economy.

picture courtesy of Wikipedia

$100,000 Beatle Fingerprints Confiscated by the FBI

2010-10-09T23:27:00.000-07:00

A shop in New York City, GOTTA HAVE IT!, was in the process of auctioning off the fingerprints of Beatle John Lennon along with a lot of other celebrity memorabilia, when the Federal Bureau of Investigation confiscated the item. Even Homeland Security got involved. The prints were expected to sell for over $100,000.

The fingerprint card was consigned by an unnamed promoter. The FBI was looking into whether the card was illegally retrieved from government files. At least the other 850 celebrity lots were unaffected.

Multi-Millionaire Donates Millions to Wombats

2010-09-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

A anonymous American multi-millionaire has left $8 million to the Wombat Awareness Organization in Australia, an organization dedicated to the large scale rescue and rehabilitation of the Southern Hairy Nosed Wombat. The donation will be made in increments of $1 million per year.

You Won't Be Able to Land Your Corporate Jet at the UFOport

2010-09-05T20:40:00.000-07:00

A UFO landing pad has been built in a small town in southwest part of France, paid for by the town council. But you won't be able to land your Cessna or Gulfstream there (unless you are a Martian). The UFOport is only available for extraterrestrial spacecraft. I'm assuming that if there was a landing, it would certainly help the local economy.

15 Grand for John Lennon's Toilet

2010-09-05T20:06:00.000-07:00

Here's an auction you can take sitting down. A porcelain toilet owned by Beatle John Lennon while he lived in Berkshire, southern England, was sold at a Beatles memorabilia auction organized by the Beatles Shop in Liverpool. It was hammered for almost $15,000, around ten times its estimate.

It's lucky for the buyer that the toilet didn't end up in the dump. Shipping the object to the owner's home probably involves a big movement with lots of packing, otherwise, option number two would be carrying it on the plane. I guess you could use it as a large flower pot or a stool.

$2 Million Mansion for $150

2010-09-01T22:23:00.000-07:00

How would you like a $2 million mansion in Marin County, California for only $150? It's possible if your ticket is drawn, in this raffle for the wealthy. For a $150, you have the chance to win a 3600 square foot mansion on over half an acre with four bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, a bonus room, a study, a guest suite, and an office. Included are terraced gardens, a pool and a spa.

Marin County is generally considered to be the wealthiest county in California with Santa Clara County giving it a run for its money. This New Age liberal county, although known for its wealth, still has its share of its poor, which is why this raffle is being held. Proceeds will go towards Community Action Marin, which provides support services such as early childhood education, mental health, employment and job training, food programs, housing assistance, HIV and AIDS services, and other types of programs.

If you buy your ticket early, you will be automatically entered in the early bird drawings and the bonus drawings. If you are interested, you can check out the Dream House Raffle.

Picture courtesy of Dream House Raffle.

Billionaire Paul Allen Suing Apple and eBay and Facebook and ...

2010-08-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

Billionaire Paul Allen claims that Google, Apple, Facebook, YouTube, Yahoo, eBay and a bunch of other high tech companies are infringing on the patents held by Interval Licensing LLC, a company that Allen funded. Other companies named in the complaint include Netflix Inc., AOL Inc., Office Depot Inc., OfficeMax Inc., and Staples Inc. The patents relate to web alerts and web browsing. Interval is asking for royalties on the patents or else have the companies stop infringing.

A Great Little Gadget for the Billionaire: A Real Live Fighter Jet

2010-08-30T20:43:00.000-07:00

Now you can be just like Tom Cruise in 'Top Gun', flying your own fighter jet. The jet is a bargain at $175,000.

A Stockton, California company is offering this Swedish jet at 61,000 feet. It goes through 100,000 gallon of fuel every minute.

Who needs a corporate jet when you can fly in a fighter jet.

Billionaire Warren Buffett's Children were Interviewed for National Geographic

2010-08-25T22:38:00.000-07:00

The children of Berkshire Hathaway's (BRK-A) (BRK-B) Warren Buffett, were interviewed for National Geographic.

Gourmet Hot Dog $69

2010-08-25T20:46:00.000-07:00

You won't be able to get one of these at the ball park, but you can at New York's Serendipity 3 restaurant. This gourmet foot-long all-beef meal is covered in foie gras and black truffles, in a pretzel roll grilled in white truffle butter.

It is expected to be awarded the world’s most expensive hot dog by Guinness, as it sells for $69.

Great Gift for a Billionaire: Statue of Liberty's Nose

2010-08-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

Guernsey's Auction House will be having an interesting auction, a nude photo negative of Marilyn Monroe, the original Yankee Stadium last home run ball, and most exciting, the tip of the nose of the Statue of Liberty, actually a backup replacement piece, one of only three in existence (one is already on Lady Liberty's nose), created back in the 1980's.

To give you an idea of how big the Statue of Liberty is, the copper nose tip piece measures two feet long. The auction will be held on September 24.

Billionaire George Soros Buy 4% Interest in Bombay Stock Exchange

2010-08-21T20:21:00.000-07:00

George Soros, billionaire trader/investor has through his Quantum hedge fund bought a 4% interest in the Bombay Stock Exchange. He paid $35 million to Dubai Financial, a division of state-run Dubai Holdings, for interest in Asia's oldest stock exchange.

San Francisco Bay Island for Sale

2010-08-21T19:53:00.000-07:00

Speaking of California real estate, if glass houses aren't to your liking, and you desire a little privacy, you might want to pick up the 5.8 acre Red Rock Island in the San Francisco Bay, near the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. The island is at the convergence of three counties, San Francisco, Marin and Contra Costa and is the only privately owned island in the Bay.

In the 1980's, there were plans to build a 10-story hotel and casino, and a yacht harbor on the island, but those plans fell through.

The island is available for $22 million. More information and pictures are available from Private Islands Online.

You Shoudn't Throw Stones if You Live in this $35 Million House

2010-08-21T19:29:00.000-07:00

This 13,875 square foot house is not for everyone. Called the Glass Pavilion, it was built by architect Steve Hermann on three-and-a-half acres in Montecito, California. What makes it different from other homes in this wealthy enclave near Santa Barbara is that the walls are made of glass.

The five bedroom, five-and-a-half bathroom house even has a huge glassed-in garage to show off your car collection to the neighbors.

Suzanne Perkins of Sotheby's International Realty is the listing agent. It is available for a reasonable $35 million.

Most Expensive iPad Cases

2010-08-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

Tod's, the famous Italian luxury products firm, has just released its latest line of Apple iPad cases handmade out of genuine alligator skin. The price is a reasonable $4,900.

How Many US $100,000 Bills Do You Have?

2010-08-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

Every one has heard about the $100 trillion dollar bill from Zimbabwe. But how many people have heard about the United States $100,000 bill? If you have never seen one before, now is your chance to check one out at the World's Fair of Money in Boston. As a matter of fact, you can see a whole sheet of $100 thousand bills. Can you guess whose portrait appears on the bill? (Answer at the bottom of this article.)

These $100,000 banknotes were only used for private official transactions between Federal Reserve Banks. They were never released to the public. Also at the show, you can see the United States's first $20 gold coin, and gold nuggets and bars from the Gold Rush era.

What's in your wallet?

The picture depicts the back of the $100,000 bill. The front has a portrait of Woodrow Wilson

The First Jobs of Billionaires

2010-08-10T08:34:00.000-07:00

It may be hard to believe but many billionaires started at the very bottom. Here are the first jobs for several billionaires.

Charles Schwab picked walnuts
T.Boone Pickens paper route
Sheldon Adelson paper route
Barry Diller mail room
David Murdock changed oil at a gas station
Andrew Beal sold used TV's

Billionaire's Tax Refund Stolen: $1.4 Million

2010-08-10T08:26:00.000-07:00

If a billionaire gets his identity stolen, then you are talking about real money. California billionaire Donald Bren, who is one of the top 50 wealthiest people in the world with a net worth of $12 billion, had the unfortunate experience of identity stealing.

Some guy set up a bank account in his name, got a hold of his $1.4 million tax refund check, put it in the bank, then took it out.

Guest Article: Protect Your Wealth Against Common Investment Scams!

2010-08-10T07:50:00.000-07:00

Individuals with significant wealth face a difficult decision. On one hand, even Warren Buffet recognizes that is wealth really needs to be invested in order to produce further gains, but most wealthy investors are oftentimes not sure where to turn. Of course, financial advisors should always be the first stop. However, there are numberless con artists and fraudulent financial firms that specifically target the wealthy; thus, it is best to be fully aware of this potential threat. By simply following a few practical steps, one can take great strides toward protecting one’s wealth against fraud.

The Guaranteed Return

In recent years, this investment scam has become increasingly popular in financial circles. Typically, a trader will offer investors a set return each month on any principal investment. Usually, the guaranteed return will be between 1% and 2% per month. The trader solicits funds in this manner, and it usually spreads by word of mouth. Eventually the trader has several million dollars under “management.” Each month he is paying out the relatively small interest payments to investors. At the same time, he is usually not trading the capital at all in a forex account, but instead withdrawing it to finance a luxurious lifestyle.

The trader will perpetuate this scheme by continually raising new capital from new or existing investors, and it will continue indefinitely until too many investors call for their principal at the same time. Eventually the trader will not have enough capital left in the account to pay back all the investors who requested principal. Oftentimes, these schemes will fall apart and be exposed during a recession because many investors seek to liquidate investments during these times.

Now, this type of investment scheme targets the wealthy due to multiple reasons. First of all, financial con artists are usually intelligent people. They understand that wealthy investors are looking for a 10% - 15% return per year. Thus, they don’t offer incredibly high rates of return. Unknowing investors see this as a sign of low-risk. Also, con artists know that wealthy people tell their friends about investments, and this is how the con artist primarily markets his services—through word of mouth. These types of ponzi schemes will also generally be in established circles of trust such as social, civic or church circles.

There are several steps wealthy investors should take in order to protect themselves against this type of investment scheme. First of all, it is a good rule of thumb to never conduct business with a financial firm, investment advisor, or broker that is not fully registered with proper regulatory authorities. This simple, single step can help weed out many potentially dangerous investment opportunities.

Also, the safest way to have a trader manage your funds may be to open a managed account. The best managed forex accounts are usually managed by Commodity Trading Advisors, which are fully registered with National Futures Association. In this type of investment, no cash ever changes hands. Instead you open a trading account, sign a power of attorney, and allow a trader to trade your account, but you still have complete access to it 24 hours per day, so that you can see all trading activity, any open positions, and profit/loss. In this scenario, only you are able to withdraw and deposit funds. This is a very transparent way to invest funds with a managed account trader.

What Googlers Think About the Rich and Bill Gates

2010-08-02T22:40:00.001-07:00

You can see what the public thinks about almost any topic by just typing it into Google, and seeing the suggested searches. The following screen shots speak for themselves about what Googlers think about the rich and Bill Gates.

Dennis Hopper’s Home for Sale $6.245 Million

2010-07-27T21:29:00.000-07:00

Popular actor, Dennis Hopper, passed away in May, and now his mansion in Venice Beach, California is up for sale. The 15,500 square foot lot, includes three two-story townhouse condominiums, a pool, a pool house, and guest cottage. The price of the house is a reasonable $6.245 million.

Frank Sinatra's Shirt for Just $5

2010-07-27T21:14:00.000-07:00

As a follow-up to our previous article about yard sale bargains, a man in California was lucky enough to buy Frank Sinatra's shirt at a garage sale for only five bucks. This white tuxedo shirt has been authenticated by the manufacturer, Anto Distinctive Shirtmakers in Beverly Hills. When told that the shirt may not bring much at auction, the owner said that he may donate the shirt to the Sinatra family.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

$200,000,000 of Ansel Adams Photos for $45

2010-07-27T12:20:00.000-07:00

A garage sale aficionado who found a bunch of old photos at a yard sale in Southern California ten years ago has struck it rich. The photos were offered at $70 but he beat them down to $45. It turns out that the purchase was 65 glass negatives created by nature photographer Ansel Adams, and estimated to be worth $200 million.

Lehman Brothers Corporate Art Collection

2010-07-25T18:12:00.000-07:00

The Lehman Brothers Corporate Art Collection and Neuberger Berman Corporate Art Collection will be sold at auction by Sotheby’s on Saturday, September 25, 2010 in New York. There will be over 400 works of art, which are expected to sell for $10 million or more.

The artists include Damien Hirst, Gerhard Richter, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Richard Prince, John Currin and Takashi Murakami, Neo Rauch, Julie Mehretu, Liu Ye and Do Ho Suh.

One of the highlights of the collection include Damien Hirst's 'We’ve Got Style (The Vessel Collection – Blue)', painted in 1993 and acquired in 1994. The estimated sale price is $800,000 to $1.2 million.

The Most Expensive Beer in the World is Served in Dead Animals

2010-07-24T23:32:00.000-07:00

The End of History' beer, made by BrewDog brewery, has an extremely high alcohol content and sells for about $770 per bottle, making it the most expensive beer in the world. But that doesn't make the 55% alcohol beer unusual.

The beer bottle are encased in dead animals prepared by a taxidermist, animals such as squirrels and rabbits.

But you better get your order in now, since only 12 bottles will be produced.

Elvis Presley's Grand Piano is Up for Auction

2010-07-22T10:32:00.000-07:00

How would you like the ultimate entertainment collectible, formerly owned by The King. And if you play the piano, it would make it an even better buy.

Heritage Auction Galleries is offering at auction next month Elvis Presley's White Knabe Grand Piano and Bench as featured in his music room at Graceland from 1957 to 1969.

The opening bid is $500,000 and has an estimated value of $1,000,000. This white piano with gold trim was manufactured by Wm. Knabe & Co. It comes with several letters of authenticity.

The auction, which has many other Elvis items, closes Saturday, August 14, 2010.