Even decades after her death, Marilyn Monroe is still getting lots of money for her things.
But its not jewelry or clothing or an autographed pictures that’s collecting cash this time around. It’s a set of chest x-rays from a 1954 hospital visit. The Las Vegas auction house had thought the pictures would fetch a couple or $3,000.
The final bid yesterday? $45,000.
From the New York Daily News:
The bizarre medical photograph was one of several of Monroe’s belongings that were up for bid at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino via Julien’s Auctions over the weekend.
“[The x-ray] was taken around the time she was believed to be pregnant, and rumor has it that she had a miscarriage,” President/CEO Darren Julien told the Daily News back in April.
It was captured at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital (which in 1961 merged with another hospital to become Cedars-Sinai Medical Center), and features the then 28-year-old Monroe’s chest and lungs.
Other memorabilia that sold at the auction include a chair from her last photo shoot (which fetched $35,000), and items from other auctions, including earrings worn by Kate Winslet in “Titanic” that went for $25,000.
Stories You Might Like
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
