Top 10 Most Expensive Auction Items

Auction house Sotheby's announced Sept. 9 that it will sell a rare John James Audubon tome, Birds of America, and expect it to fetch between $6.2 million and $9.2 million — making it the world's most expensive book. Only 119 copies of the bird book — most of which exist in museums and libraries — remain. Here's a look at some other pricey auction items

Going Once, Going Twice ...

Most Expensive Piece of Clothing

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Item: Marilyn Monroe's "Happy Birthday Mr. President" Dress
Winning Bid: $1,267,500
Sold: 1999

When Marilyn Monroe delivered a sultry "Happy Birthday" serenade to President John F. Kennedy on May 19, 1962, the blonde bombshell wore a flesh-colored, curve-hugging, jewel-encrusted dress so tight and sheer that, according to legend, Monroe was sewn into the gown and wore nothing under it. The one-of-a-kind sheath was purchased in 1999 by the aptly named Manhattan-based collectible company Gotta Have It! after the dress was put up for auction by the widow of Monroe's acting coach, Lee Strasberg. When asked by reporters why he would spend a fortune on a piece of fabric that originally cost $12,000, company president Robert Schargen proclaimed that he would have paid twice that: "We stole it," he boasted.

Next Most Expensive Manuscript