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Mind flex: Most outrageous purchases ever

Are you working on your household budget and feeling like you should reduce your expenses? Put it all in perspective…by considering these most expensive purchases ever!

Q: How much did the most expensive toilet seat cover sell for? 

A: A toilet seat cover that belonged to Bill Wyman, original bassist of the Rolling Stones, sold at auction for $1,152 in September 2020. It’s thought to be the record for such an item. The bright yellow cover, which features the band’s infamous tongue and lips logo, was sold by Wyman himself as part of an auction of more than 1,000 pieces of memorabilia from his days in the band. 

Q: The most expensive burger is?

A: $5,000 for the Fleur Burger 5000. This Wagyu beef burger, topped with seared foie gras and truffle shavings, is served at Las Vegas’ Fleur restaurant, which is located inside the Mandalay Bay Casino. The burger comes served with a bottle of 1995 Chateau Petrus wine from Bordeaux, which is among the most expensive wines in the world. Now that’s quite a mouthful!

Q: Most expensive bottle of wine purchased recently?

A: A $558,000 bottle of 1945 Romanée-Conti sold at a Sotheby’s auction in 2018. Selling for more than 17 times its original estimate, the sale reflects an increasing demand for vintage French wines, especially Burgundy. Only 600 bottles of the 1945 vintage wine were produced.

Q: What is the priciest jewel purchased to date? 

A: The spectacular 59.6-carat Pink Star diamond went to the highest bidder for $71 million in April 2017 at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, breaking the record for the most expensive diamond sold at auction. The previous record holder, the famed Oppenheimer Blue, sold for $50.6 million in 2016.

Q: What is the world’s most expensive car worth?

A: A 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO racer made it into the record books in May 2018 when it was purchased at a private sale for a whopping $70 million by an avid collector. Widely regarded as the ultimate vehicle for the Ferrari connoisseur, the 4153 GT model won the famous Tour de France in 1964 and is one of only 39 built by the Italian auto firm.

Q: What is the most expensive artwork produced by a living artist? 

A: Setting the record for the most expensive piece of artwork sold at auction by a living artist, Jeff Koons’ Rabbit sculpture sold for $91.1 million in May 2019. The stainless-steel structure, inspired by a child’s inflatable toy, was created by the artist in 1986. 

Q: How much is the world’s most expensive island? 

A: The $300 million Lanai Island in Hawaii is a $90,000-per-acre paradise, purchased by Oracle founder Larry Ellison in 2012. Ellison now owns 98% of Lanai, while the remaining 2% is owned by the state. 

Q: What is the world’s most expensive boat?

A: Roman Abramovich’s Eclipse, a 533-foot mega yacht that he bought for $472 million in 2011. The yacht, which is believed to be worth $1.5 billion today, boasts 25 luxurious cabins, an onboard nightclub and two swimming pools.

If you’re inspired by these buys, there’s never a bad time to start socking away more savings to make your own high-ticket purchase in the future! 

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