Autograph - - William Shakespeare

The world's most expensive autograph is that of William Shakespeare.

There are only six known authenticated copies of his autograph, one on a conveyance for a house in London, one on a deposition in a legal case, one on his mortgage papers, and three in his will, all are held in institutions.

Should one of William Shakespeare's autographs ever come up for auction it would fetch an estimated $5,000,000.00 USD.

Fountain Pen

This most expensive fountain pen was created in 1999 by Caran d’Ache. He designed this pen to show his respect and in the memory of Antoni Gaude a famous modernist architect that lived from 1852 until his death in 1926.
The La Modernista Diamonds fountain pen is made of rhodium coated solid silver components, with an 18-carat gold nib and is covered with 5072 full cut top Wesselton VS diamonds which total a whopping 20 carats. There are 96 half cut rubies arranged on the top of cap, which forms the monogram.
The pen was sold in Harrods, London through a Swiss company, for $265,000 USD.

Exotic Pet -- The White Lion Cub

Today, there are many people that wish to own an exotic pet. You may find a variety of exotic pets owned by a variety of individuals including such pets as birds, rare snakes, primates, and others. Do you have any idea which of the exotic pets might be the most expensive in the world? Would you believe it is a cat?

No, not your everyday household cat, but a white lion cub. The white lion cub is found in South Africa where it is considered to be a divine creature by many of the locals. It is a very rare type of lion since it is not a subspecies but it is the result of a recessive gene. The white coat is also easily seen in the jungle so it is hunted quite fiercely. As of 2004, there were 300 known white lions in the world.

If you really think you want to own a white lion as a pet, you had better be ready to pay around $138,000. This is if you can even find one.

Jeans - APO

APO jeans are creating the most expensive and exclusive jeans in the industry. These jeans cost $1,000 for men’s or ladies jeans with silver buttons and rivets, $1,500 for men’s or ladies jeans with white or yellow gold button and rivets, $3,250 for men’s or ladies jeans with platinum button and rivets, and of course the most expensive are $4,000 men’s or ladies jeans with diamond button and rivets.

Along with each pair of jeans comes an authenticity number and an appraisal sheet from a top jeweler from the New York diamond district.

Wonder what every woman will want for Christmas this year - designer jeans with gemstones.

License Plate

On May 12, 2007 a license plate auction in the United Arab Emirates.

Plate #55555 fetched a hefty 2 million dirhams while plate #12 sold for a heftier 8.9 million dirhams.

However, it was plate #5 that stole the show, when all was said and done Talal Khouri was the new owner of the world's most expensive license plate, paying a cool 25.2 million dirhams or $6.8 million for the honor.

Ferrari

Ferrari is one of the top names in automobiles so it’s especially interesting to learn that the most expensive Ferrari ever sold cost a whopping $9,252,375, with the ten percent commission included in that price.

This sleek sports car is a 1962 Ferrari 330 TRI/LM Testa Rossa Spyder, chassis number 0808. The car was sold at an auction held by RM Auctions and Sotheby’s. The ultimate bidder placed the bid through an anonymous phone call. This car didn’t come at a huge price tag simply because of its looks. It has many unique qualities that also make it worth the money. Not only is it the only four-litre Testa Rossa ever built, it is also the very last Testa Rossa and last front-engine racing car that Ferrari would ever build. The car was also a huge part of the win at the 24 Heures de Mans when it was driven by Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien. This would mark the third win for the famous racing pair and it would also be the last win at the competition by a front-engine car.

This all proves that not only is the car flashy but it holds a lot of history and character that make it worth the large sum of money that it was purchased for.

Whisky

Whisky has been a favorite drink for many years and has been a major part of practically any western movie on television as the cowboy orders a shot of whisky from the barkeep just prior to whipping out his guns and shooting the bad guys.However, this whisky was never found in those old western saloons. The most expensive whisky is a 1926 bottle from the Macallan Fine and Rare Collection. The $38,000 Scotch whisky you may not be able to buy today since they are all sold; you can still enjoy a dram for only $3,300 if you visit the Old Homestead Steakhouse in the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, N.J.

Cosmetic

The most expensive cosmetic on the market today can be found at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue. ReVive Intensite Volumizing Serum is created with keratinocyte growth factor and manufactured by ReVive. The formula is said to turn over dead skin cells eight times faster than normal skin. However, not everyone can afford this expensive luxury when only one small ounce costs $600.00 USD.

Dr. Gregory Brown founder of ReVive stated "I started making it for my mother and me, then I started giving it to patients, and then a friend of a friend was head of Neiman Marcus and suggested I started making it for the store."

NFL

Football is one of the most popular sports in the US and the National Football League has thousands maybe millions of fans screaming for their favorite team. On September 20, 2005 the famous Dallas Cowboys broke ground on the building of the most expensive NFL Football Stadium in the world.

The New Dallas Cowboys Stadium

The new stadium is designed by Bryan Trubey from the Dallas based architecture firm of HKS Incorporated. It will accommodate up to 100,000 roaring fans. Some of the plans include monumental arches, a 661,000 square foot retractable roof with a hole that resembles that of the Texas Stadium, an 86-foot glass wall, and retractable end zone doors. The stadium if all goes as planned will open in Arlington, Texas in 2009.

The estimated cost of this fabulous stadium will cost $1,000,000,000 and will not only be the most expensive NFL Stadium but will also be the largest.

Film Industry Loss

The most expensive film industry loss was with the film “The 13th Warrior”.

This movie premiered in 1999.

The producers had a budget of $160,000,000. The estimated amount of money that was spent marketing the film was $25,000.000.

At the box offices in the United States, “The 13th Warrior” grossed $32,698,899 and worldwide only $61,698,899.

This gives the entire production a total loss of $ 123,301,101

Cigarettes

You can find all kinds of unique tobacco products for every brand on the market; however, Lucky Strike has the top billing for the most expensive cigarettes. In 2006, Lucky Strike created a one-off pack. The package that was created is what was so stunning. The cigarettes were placed in an 18-carat white gold package with one diamond and one ruby.
The cigarette package was placed on display at various European airports throughout 2006 with smaller look-alike packs for sale in specific airports. The most expensive pack of Lucky Strikes had a price tag of $100,000 and was used to heighten the sales of the Lucky Strike brand.

Golf Clubs

If you are searching for that perfect gift for the golfer, you could always pick the Honma golf clubs.

With this set of golf clubs you can choose the head shape, the shaft, the grip, how much 24k gold plating you would like and how much Pt 1000 Platinum detailing you want for each club.

The clubs are created in Japan to the exact length and weight that you desire. You can even go as far as to have initials engraved on each club.

The price of £28,454 or $52,938.50 USD is for 14 clubs in all

Mouse

If you have $24,180.00 USD burning a hole in your pocket you may consider getting a hold of Swiss company Pay Says Now, they'd happily trade you for what they call 'Diamond Flower', the world's most expensive mouse.

The Diamond Flower mouse comes with 59 diamonds set in an 18K white gold casing, a perfect gift for those who truly have everything else.

Military Aircraft

On July 19, 1999, the completed production of the most expensive military aircraft was finished.

The manufacturing took place in the United States. The long-range multi-role bomber that can carry a payload of 17.85 tons and can deliver both conventional and nuclear munitions is named the B2 Spirit.

The price of this military aircraft is a hefty $1,300,000,000.00 USD.

Pizza

Back in November 2006 Maurizio Morelli, an Italian lawyer, won an auction on eBay for a pizza and on February 14, 2007, as a Valentine's present for his wife the pizza was delivered.

The pizza, dubbed Pizza Royale 007, contained venison medallions, Scottish smoked salmon, edible gold, champagne-soaked caviar and lobster marinated in the finest Cognac.

Chef Domenico Crolla from Glasgow flew over 1,000 miles to Rome to prepare the 12 " world's most expensive pizza.

The winning bid; £2,150 or about $4200.00 USD

Flower

In Guangdong, China the Shenzhen Nongke Group, involved in agricultural science research, grew an orchid in 2005.

It was quite an ugly orchid, but an anonymous buyer at an auction would probably disagree with us as he or she bid 1.68 million yuan for the ugly orchid.

SO just how much is 1.68 million yuan? It's roughly $202,000.00 USD and that's just how much the world's most expensive flower sold for.

Airline Ticket

In September 2007 Australian Julian Hayward dished out $100,380.00 USD for a seat aboard Singapore Airlines' Airbus A380 for a flight from Singapore to Sydney.

Normally the seat would sell for a measly $3,391.00 but Julian Hayward out bid all bidders on eBay with his $100,380.00 to purchase the world's first ticket and become the world's first commercial passenger aboard the A380.

He does get a couple extra perks for the extra $96,989.00 he dished out such as a special dinner and a trip to France to see the airline take delivery A380, he can also sleep well at night knowing his "donation" will go to a variety of charities.

IPod

The most expensive iPod in the world is the iDiamond. The device was created by Thomas Heyerdahl, who is a Norwegian jeweler. The world’s most expensive MP3 player is comprised of solid eighteen karat white and pink gold and is also covered with over 430 diamonds. The earplugs are also made from the same gold that the device is made from. Heyerdahl was inspired by the Apple iPod Shuffle to make the iDiamond and he does not have any plans for making another. As he says, “It’s a special thing, just making one.”

The iDiamond was auctioned away at an elite fundraiser on Thursday, March 13, 2008, The Feast of Albion. The machine was only one part of the auction prize. The prize also included a Jaguar XJ, complete with chauffeur, and VIP tickets to see Roger Waters, member of the band Pink Floyd, perform “Dark Side of the Moon,” along with many other once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and treats.

The iDiamond is said to be worth approximately twenty thousand pounds, which is approximately $40,500 USD.

Laptop

woIn late March 2007 Luvaglio of London released, by appointment only, the world's most expensive laptop.

The laptop comes in a self opening case and features a 17-inch wide-screen LED display with an anti-glare coating, 128GB hard drive and Blu-Ray player.

There is screen is state of the art, it features a self cleaning system so you can keep your grubby little hands off of it.

What would a laptop be with out a security system and what would world's most expensive laptop be without an expensive security system? This one doesn't disappoint, it comes with a colored diamond which must be inserted into the power button to start it up.

If you're looking to get your hands on one of these be prepared to shell out over $1,000,000.00 USD.

Pool Cue

On January 23 2006 McDermott Handcrafted Cues introduced the Intimidator and we believe the name fits it perfectly.

One look at the cue and your opponents will surely be intimidated even if you are the world’s worst pool player.

One look at the $150,000.00 price tag and surely you’ll be intimidated.

MP3 player

If you buy the Presidential MP3 player from Douglas.J Music Group you will have a few choices to make.

Firstly, will that be yellow gold or white gold? Secondly: How would you like the diamond buttons laid out?

You should also plan on being home the day the private escort delivers your MP3 player.

All this for for only a song and a dance and $45,000.00 USD.

Deck of Cards

Do you know someone that loves card games such as Blackjack or Poker? If so, then you should put this unique deck of cards on your Christmas list, if they have been good the entire year.

The most expensive deck of cards available for purchase is etched in stainless steel! When they are received they are in one large steel sheet which is so magnificent you may wish to hang them on the wall instead of press them out to play a game of cards.

The price for these awesome playing cards is a whopping £195 or $351.00 USD.

The highest price paid for a deck of cards at auction was $143,352.00 by the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City.

On December 6, 1983 the Metropolitan Museum of Art purchased a deck of cards from around 1470-85 which are believed to be the oldest known complete hand-painted deck.

Apartment

Apartment hunting is always a tough challenge but even more so if you’re looking in London, England’s apartment complex, One Hyde Park. It is here that there are four penthouse apartments have been developed by Candy & Candy and designed by architect Richard Rogers. In addition to the penthouse apartments, there are also eighty apartments all of which have access to communal spas, squash courts, and a wine-tasting facility open only to residents. The building is expected to have construction completed in 2010, although all of the units sold out in 2007. When finished, the building will cost 1.5 billion pounds, approximately three billion dollars American. It is being funded by Qatar’s foreign minister.

The most expensive apartment in the world is one of the penthouse units in this high-class building, costing over 100 million pounds, about 200 million dollars American. Every penthouse will feature bulletproof glass, panic rooms, and an underground tunnel that leads to a hotel nearby, among other security features. If you like the look but don’t have that kind of cash, you can buy another one of the units for 20 million pounds, approximately 40 million dollars American.

MacBook

Are you willing to shell out $8,000.00 for a gold plated MacBook Pro? If so you might be interested to know that you will be far from owning the world's most expensive MacBook.

To own the world's most expensive MacBook you'll need to purchase the “Golden Age” Macbook Air from Bling My Thing that comes with 12,000 Swarovski crystals treated with a 24K gold coating but you'd better hurry as only 20 were being made.

Just be sure to bring along $40,000.00 for your purchase

Cognac

Cognac is such prestigious liquor that it must only be produced in the region of France for which it is named. In addition to that, all cognac must be ninety percent comprised of three different types of grapes that are found in that region – Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, and Colombard grapes. There is a list of criteria, including these two that the cognac must meet before it is then turned over to the Bureau National Interprofessionel du Cognac (BNIC) when they will determine if the liquor can truly be called a cognac. All of this criteria makes cognac a very expensive liquor but there is one that tops them all.

The most expensive cognac is Henri IV Dudognon Heritage and it is named after a French king. This king’s family has been making the cognac since 1776. The wine is placed in barrels where it will age for one hundred years. These barrels need to be air dried for five years before any cognac can be placed into them. The cognac that comes out of the barrels after one-hundred-and-five years is 41% alcohol, making it 82 proof.

The bottle in which the cognac is placed also contributes to it being the most expensive cognac in the world. The bottle is dipped in twenty-four karat gold and sterling platinum before being decorated with 6,500 brilliant cut diamonds. The total cost for this fine bottle of cognac?

$2 million USD.

Action Figure

When Hasbro created G.I. Joe in the 1970s, they were hoping for success but they probably didn’t think that they were creating something that would become an icon in the toy industry for forty years. G.I. Joe has been redeveloped over the years, has been the basis for a Marvel Comic series of comics, and is a familiar name to just about everyone. It’s no wonder that it is this military toy that is ranked as the most expensive action figure.

As with anything else, no matter how many people try to improve upon it and expand it, there will be nothing as truly valuable as the first G.I. Joe action figure. This prototype stands at twelve inches tall and has a retail value of $200,000 USD. It is currently owned by collector Steve Geppi and Joe is being showcased at the Geppi Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.

Film

If you look purely at production cost King Kong (2005) edges out Superman Returns (2006) by a paltry $3 million USD.

The tab for King Kong ran $207 million while Superman Returns lightened investors wallets by only $204 million.

If you factor in inflation then War and Peace (1968) blows away the competition, costing the equivalent of $560 million 2005 dollars while Cleopatra (1963) comes in a distant second at $286 million 2005 dollars.

War and Peace took 7 years and $100 million to produ

KeyBoard

The Maltron is the most expensive computer keyboard ever created.

Hot off the market with features that include connections to PS/2 and USB interfaces, compatible with PC’s, Mac, Unix, and Linux computer systems, Contour keyboard with integrated keypad, cherry key activators for increased durability and performance and allows for increase in speed of typing. Each keyword is exclusively handmade.

However, do not wait for Santa to leave one in your stocking, with a price tag at $490.00 you had better hope you were an extra good little girl or boy this year.

Violin

Without a doubt Stradivarius violins crafter by Antonio Stradivari in the late 1600's and early 1700's are the most expensive violins in the world.

What is in doubt is which Stradivarius claims the title.

In April 2005 the 'The Lady Tennant', made in 1699, sold in auction for $2.03 million USD.

The Lady Tennant

'The Hammer', a 1708 Stradivarius went up for auction in May 2006 at Christie's and and fetched $3.54 million USD.

The Hammer

On February 13, 2008 Maxim Viktorov, a Russian businessman and collector, paid a record price for an 18th century violin at a private auction at Sotheby's in London, but the record setting price was not disclosed. It is however estimated at around $7 million USD.

Other expensive Stradivarius':

• The Mendelssohn $1.78 million.

• The Kreutzer $1.58 million.

Letter

In 1991 a Beverly Hills company purchased a letter written by Abraham Lincoln on January 08 1863 for $748,000.00

The letter was written to Major General John Alexander McClernand defending the Emancipation Proclamation.

Here's the letter:

Abraham Lincoln
January 8, 1863

Executive Mansion,

Washington, January 8. 1863.

Major General McClernand

My dear Sir Your interesting communication by the hand of Major Scates is received. I never did ask more, nor ever was willing to accept less, than for all the States, and the people thereof, to take and hold their places, and their rights, in the Union, under the Constitution of the United States. For this alone have I felt authorized to struggle; and I seek neither more nor less now. Still, to use a coarse, but an expressive figure, broken eggs can not be mended. I have issued the emancipation proclamation, and I can not retract it.

After the commencement of hostilities I struggled nearly a year and a half to get along without touching the "institution"; and when finally I conditionally determined to touch it, I gave a hundred days fair notice of my purpose, to all the States and people, within which time they could have turned it wholly aside, by simply again becoming good citizens of the United States. They chose to disregard it, and I made the peremptory proclamation on what appeared to me to be a military necessity. And being made, it must stand. As to the States not included in it, of course they can have their rights in the Union as of old. Even the people of the states included, if they choose, need not to be hurt by it. Let them adopt systems of apprenticeship for the colored people, conforming substantially to the most approved plans of gradual emancipation; and, with the aid they can have from the general government, they may be nearly as well off, in this respect, as if the present trouble had not occurred, and much better off than they can possibly be if the contest continues persistently.

As to any dread of my having a "purpose to enslave, or exterminate, the whites of the South," I can scarcely believe that such dread exists. It is too absurd. I believe you can be my personal witness that no man is less to be dreaded for undue severity, in any case.

If the friends you mention really wish to have peace upon the old terms, they should act at once. Every day makes the case more difficult. They can so act, with entire safety, so far as I am concerned.

I think you would better not make this letter public; but you may rely confidently on my standing by whatever I have said in it. Please write me if any thing more comes to light. Yours very truly

A. LINCOLN.

Magazine

A subscription to a magazine that costs more than thirty dollars probably sounds very pricey to most of us but there is one magazine that is blowing other subscription prices out of the water.

Wilmott magazine is published in the United Kingdom and it focus on quantitative analysis. In the magazine you will find current research findings, new and creative financial models, reviews on different financial products and in-depth analysis about anything financial that you could ever dream of. The language used in the magazine is very confusing, as it concerns itself mainly with mathematics and it is the approximate size of a textbook, containing eleven square inches of information.

The average price of Wilmott magazine is approximately seven hundred dollars for a one-year subscription and the magazine is issued bimonthly. Individuals who want to subscribe to the magazine can expect to pay an easy $325 USD for a one-year subscription. Institutions however, aren’t so lucky as their price is $650 USD. But this price includes not only the subscription but also getting your name into the Wilmott Book Club. Being a member of the club allows for things such as discounts on quantitative financial and science books.

Wedding Bouqet

People spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on their entire wedding but there is one wedding bouquet that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars alone.

Included in this bouquet of beautiful trailing orchids are ninety gemstones, nine diamonds, and a ruby shaped like a star. The bouquet is meant to symbolize eternal love and wishes of happiness for all couples. The bouquet is on display at the Ruby Plaza in Hanoi, a retail and office building. The Plaza has many of the world’s finest retailers, as well as a restaurant, and several offices. The elegance and sophistication of the Ruby Plaza make it the perfect spot to hold the treasured bouquet.
And how much does the bouquet actually cost? A flowery $125,000.00 USD.

Television

The most expensive television set is the “Yalos Diamond” TV.

It happens to be studded with 160 real diamonds weighing a glittery 20 carats.

This remarkable LCD television went on display at the IFA in Berlin beginning September 6, 2006.

The Yalos Diamond TV

If you really get a hankering to purchase one exactly like it then you had better be ready to shell out a whopping $130,000.

Yo-Yo

Did you know the Yo-Yo is the world's second oldest toy? Dolls are the oldest.

Yo-Yos were created in China about 2500 BC.

The world's most expensive Yo-Yo sold at an auction for $16,000.000 USD.

The world's most expensive production Yo-Yo is 'Cold Fusion' produced by Hasbro and retails for $150.00 - $250.00 USD. Cold Fusion is made of aircraft-grade aluminum, features a ball-bearing axle and a brake pads for quick response.

The longest spin time on a Yo-Yo was achieved with a 'Cold Fusion' Yo-Yo.

Tie

Looking for a tie for father's day? Look no further, what father would not like to own the world's most expensive tie?

Created by designer Satya Paul for the Suashish Diamond group and displayed at a 2004 Mumbai fashion show by Salman Khan, the world's most expensive tie made it's debut.

The tie is made of pure silk and studded with 261 diamonds.

Price: Rs 1 crore.

That makes the world's most expensive tie worth the following:

• 1 crore.
• 100 lakhs.
• $225,000.00 USD (Approx.)
  

Wallpaper

The most expensive wallpaper ever created was a panorama titled "Les Guerres D'Independence" (The Wars of Independence) by Zuber, a French wallpaper company. Zuber has been creating exquisite, unique and yes expensive wallpaper since 1797.

The Les Guerres D'Independence has 32 panels, which will cover 49.5 feet and sell for $40,500.

The "Les Vues De L'Amerique Du Nord" (Views of North America) by Zuber, which is in the picture sold for $28,950. When President Kennedy was in office at the White House, his wife Jacqueline Kennedy had this wallpaper installed. You can still see this expensive wallpaper today on the walls of the White House. The name of the room where you will see this is not disclosed. Could it be they did not want the public to know about the expensive wallpaper?

Vase

On May 30, 2006 at a Christie's auction in Hong Kong casino resort developer Steve Wynn from Las Vegas purchased a 600 year old Ming vase only to donate it to a public museum in Macau.

The vase sold for $614,000.00 back in 1984, but this time it went for much, much more, a record breaking $10,122,558.00 USD, making it the world's most expensive vase with ease.

Wool

Next time you pull that favourite wool sweater over your head, consider this: depending on the type of wool used, that same sweater could cost $1800 to $3000 a yard to make. That’s how much the world’s most expensive wool costs. The wool comes from an animal called the vicuña, which is in the same animal family as the llama and the alpaca. Origins of South America, these animals are so desired that they are nearing the point of extinction. This is one reason why the wool is so expensive. Another reason for the huge expense is due to the animal’s skittish nature. They are extremely difficult to catch and to harvest the wool.

It may also be the most expensive due to its high quality nature and because it is so incredibly warm. The warmth is generated by tiny interlocking scales that trap heat in, protecting the wearer from the cold. Due to its sensitive nature, the colour of the wool is left in its natural state because it cannot deal with harsh chemicals.

The vicuña is now protected by government, and has been since 1974 when there were only approximately 6,000 vicuñas left. Today there are over 125,000 but regulations remain in place. One of these animals will produce one pound of wool per year and this can only be harvested every three years under law. Once the vicuña has been caught, they are sheared before being returned to the wild. Clothing that is made with this precious wool will come with a certificate stating that the vicuña was legally harvested

Tennis Racket

The story starts in 2007 at the Diamond Games tournament in Antwerp, Belgium where Amelie Mauresmo defeated Kim Clijsters 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).

This in itself was not so remarkable, but what was remarkable was the fact that Amelie Mauresmo had won the tournament three times in the last five years and this feat led to her possessing the world's most expensive tennis racket.

The golden racket weighs in at 8.8 pounds and is studded with 1,702 diamonds, giving it a record setting value of $1,300,000.00 USD

Hour Glass

If you're tired of dropping your hourglass and spilling all the sand inside, a little shop in Thailand has a solution for you.
They replaced the sand with diamonds, 10,000 carats of them so if you drop this hourglass, you'll at least be motivated to clean up.
Before you go booking you ticket to Thailand, we should mention that the price tag on the world's most expensive hourglass is a messy $6,400,000.00 USD.

Movie Poster

Back in 1927 Fritz Lang released Metropolis which was the most expensive silent movie ever to be made.

Metropolis

Almost 80 years later, in 2005, a California collector bought 1 of the 4 remaining copies of the promotional poster for a record setting $690,000.00 making the Metropolis movie poster the world's most expensive movie poster.

Stolen Painting

With a value estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars, the Mona Lisa is the world's most expensive painting ever stolen.
On August 21, 1911 ex Louvre employee Vincenzo Peruggia, who went by the name Leonardo Vincenzo, walked into an empty room, took the Mona Lisa off the wall, removed it from it's case in a stairwell and disappeared.
So impossible was the theft of the Mona Lisa that it was not discovered missing till the next day.
On December 11, 1913 the Mona Lisa was finally recovered after Leonardo Vincenzo tried to sell the painting to art dealer Alfredo Geri in Florence, Italy.

DogHouse

If dog is man’s best friend, then it only seems right that man buy dog the most luxurious doghouse there is on the market. This doghouse, which appears almost chandelier-like in structure, as it appears to be able to hang down from a ceiling, is one of a kind and was made by the Japanese company Sanrio. The doghouse features the face of Hello Kitty, a famous Japanese cartoon cat, on it and is made of 7,600 Swarovski crystal beads draped from the very top of the elegant doghouse to the very bottom. The large red cushion that sits just within the many crystal beads is large and plush enough for a small dog such as a Chihuahua or a terrier to get comfy on. The doghouse was originally created by Sanrio for a toy department store in Tokyo that wanted something unique for a sales event. It sold for $31,660, which is mere pennies when you consider how invaluable the love of a dog is!

Bullets

We're sure you'll get a bang out of this but even if you’re not a hunter of any sort, you may find yourself falling love with the world’s most expensive bullets. This fancy ammo is sold by Bullet Forge, an online merchant who specializes in selling beautifully and custom-made gold, platinum, and silver bullets. While you needn’t worry about losing your precious bullets to violence, you can wear it on a necklace close to your heart, attached by a loop on its base.

The most expensive bullets the retailer sells is a 45 ACP hollow-point that’s made from 14-karat white gold. The tip of the bullet is made from 90 diamonds mounted around a sparkling amethyst. Another type of bullet sold by Bullet Forge, for around the same price, is a similar type of bullet but only white diamonds are seen on the tip and it’s smaller at 9mm.

Both bullets retail for around $3,000 but if you don’t have that kind of money, you needn’t worry. Bullet Forge is not currently accepting orders as they have seen too much demand and are trying to fill current and backorders.

Bridge

There is a bridge in sunny California that has just recently become the world’s most expensive bridge. The bridge is the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The bridge is a toll bridge and has five lanes in total and connects San Francisco to Oakland through Yerba Buena Island. The bridge was functional in 1936, approximately half a year before the Golden Gate Bridge opened.

The Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 seriously compromised the safety of one section of the bridge, especially if another earthquake should hit the city. Because different strategies had continuously been discussed about whether to repair or replace that section of the bridge, and where the funding should come from, construction was slow to begin. A decision was made to completely replace the entire section of bridge that had been damaged and that the funding would come from the people who travelled across it. The toll on the bridge has now been raised from three dollars to four dollars. With 280,000 vehicles crossing the bridge every day, this is a major source of funding.

January 2002 saw construction begin on the section of the bridge and it should be completed by 2012. The cost of replacing this section of bridge is approximately 6.3 billion dollars.

Aquarium Fish

Think that having fish as pets is cheap? Well it is if you’re buying goldfish or feeder fish that cost little to replace but there’s one aquarium fish that is not only very costly to replace, it’s also a very rare breed and has a very rare condition, all of which make it the most expensive aquarium fish in the world.

The fish is a platinum arowana and it is 15 inches long. It lives in Singapore, where it is owned by Aro Dynasty, a dragon fish breeder. Its right eye pulls downward and although this is a rare condition, it is not rare for the arowana breed.

However, the pure white color of this particular fish is rare, even amongst its own kind, and is considered a mutation. The fish was displayed at the show Aquarama 2007 where it gained international attention. Shortly after the show, Aro Dynasty received an offer of $80,000 for the fish and after declining, they received another offer of 200 pounds, about $400,000 USD for the fish. Turning that offer down as well, Aro Dynasty still maintains that the fish is not for sale. However, this rare fish is still considered to be the most expensive fish in the world.

Donut

Staff of the morning show at KMHX-FM in Houston wanted to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 so they placed the following ad on eBay:

You are bidding on the official ” Roula and Ryan Show” HOT, GLAZED, DELICIOUS, SHIPLEY DONUT. In addition to this TASTY treat, the highest bidder of the donut will have the opportunity to appear on The Roula and Ryan Show LIVE in the MIX 96.5 Studios here in beautiful Houston, Texas. If you do not live in the Houston area, we will have the donut shipped to you.By winning the bid on this auction, you will be helping many thousands of people that have been victimized by Hurricane Katrina and those are seeking refuge in the Bayou City. Thank you for your donation and your efforts to make this the Most Expensive Donut In The World !!!!!!!Auction Includes FREE Shipley Donut Bag…..SEE PICTURES!!!!!

When the bidding was done the donut sold for a Homer impressing $5,200.00 USD.

Wedding Cake

On Monday October 16, 2006, the most expensive diamond studded wedding cake was unveiled in Beverly Hills at the Luxury Brands Bridal Show on Rodeo Drive.
This diamond-studded wedding cake is the most expensive wedding cake ever created by Mimi So Jewellers and cake designer Nahid La Patisserie Artistique.
The wedding cake has diamonds that are exclusive in application and priceless in value. The design of the cake was for this bridal show and of course is not edible.

Nail Polish

People have been decorating their nails since before the rise of the Roman Empire, so it’s only natural that someone would create a truly extravagant nail polish. “I Do” is just such a nail polish — and it’s the most expensive nail polish in the world.

Created as a collaboration between women’s beauty magazine Allure, Essie Cosmetics, Platinum Guild International (PGI) and British platinum supplier Johnson Matthey, “I Do” is made with powdered platinum and debuted at JCK-Las Vegas in 2005. The first batch of this luxury nail polish was displayed in a special bottle created by PGI and designer Henry Dunay and made of—you guessed it—pure platinum.

The platinum bottle of “I Do” is valued at $55,000. A normal bottle of the platinum polish can be purchased for a more affordable $250.

Shahid Khan Afridi

Born:1 March 1980, Khyber Agency Shahid Khan Afridi; called in as a last minute replacement leg spinner for the One Day Tournament in Kenya in 1996, amazed everyone by smashing a century off 37 balls after being promoted to one down.

The promise shown in his early batting in international cricket has gradually worn off due to poor self-control and perhaps team management. He has not been called upon to play regular first class cricket to improve his batting skills, instead has been made a regular pinch hitter who after a few defensive strokes begins lashing out regardless of line and length. This may have put a halt on his learning progress and he now needs to play far more carefully to retain his place in the team. The percentages were clearly against him and as he has so far failed to 'learn from experience', the tremendous expectations from him are subsiding. Afridi probably introduced the fastest spin delivery the game has seen in recent years. Delivering quick leg spinners with an occasional even quicker one, he surprised and beat many batsmen through his unorthodox bowling. But with exposure, batsmen have now got used to him and fewer wickets fall Afridi's way. Never a significant turner or flighter of the ball, he has now just become a run stopper in the middle of the innings rather than a wicket taker. Shahid Khan Afridi's extravagant bowling avg. (+45) and higher than average economy rate, coupled with his ever falling batting scores have begun to raise doubts and do not reflect the initial promise shown by this hugely popular youngster. Career: TESTS Debut Pakistan v Australia at Karachi, 3rd Test, 1998/99 Latest Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Karachi, 2nd Test, 1999/00 Bating: M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St 8 15 0 497 141 33.13 68.45 1 2 5 - Bowling: O M R W Ave Best 5 10 SR Econ 138.4 28 448 16 28.00 5-52 1 - 52.0 3.23 One Day International Debut Pakistan v Kenya at Nairobi (AK), KCA Centenary Tournament 1996/97 Latest Pakistan v England at Rawalpindi, 3rd ODI, 2000/01 Batting M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St 120 116 4 2673 109 23.86 2 14 44 - Bowling O M R W Ave Best 4w 5w SR Econ 731.2 19 3450 78 44.23 5-40 - 1 56.2 4.71