People will pay lots of money for celebrity memorabilia. Whether it’s John Lennon’s tooth or a pair of knickers that once belonged to Queen Elizabeth II, such tokens have fetched a pretty penny at auction. The latest entry to this strange collection of celebrity relics? A used paper plate from which Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain once ate a slice of pizza, Vice reported Tuesday, May 21st. Oh, the plate in question also featured a handwritten setlist for a Nirvana show, which probably added to its overall value much more than the fading grease stains.
The plate sold for a handsome $22,400 after originally being valued at $1,000 to $2,000 by Julien’s Auctions.
Here’s how the auction house described the item:
“A used paper plate with a set list handwritten in black marker by Kurt Cobain at the 9:30 nightclub in Washington, D.C., on April 23rd, 1990. Accompanied by a typed, signed letter of authenticity from Johnny Riggs of the band THUD stating that his band played before Nirvana at the club that night. Cobain had eaten some pizza before the show and proceeded to write the setlist on the plate he had been eating his pizza on. Riggs managed to obtain the plate when they were done performing. Accompanied by a copy of the promotional flyer for that night’s show.”
"A Dirty Paper Plate Used by Kurt Cobain Just Sold for $22,400" via @vice #RockNRoll #RockAndRoll #Memorabilia #Auction #JuliensAuctions #HardRockCafe #MusicIcons #NYC #NewYork #Nirvana #KurtCobain #Sweater #Cardigan #SetList #PaperPlatehttps://t.co/JLSPNjEX3w
— Julien's Auctions (@JuliensAuctions) May 22, 2019
We prefer New York-style pizza ourselves, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers when it comes to Kurt Cobain’s eating habits.
The minerals in New York's water system are to thank for the city's famous bagel and pizza dough pic.twitter.com/CYepBls056
— Business Insider (@BusinessInsider) May 18, 2019
A grey cardigan Cobain wore during his last Nirvana photo shoot sold for $75,000 at the same auction.
Cobain’s keepsakes aren’t even the strangest celebrity keepsakes to ever be sold off.
For example, a piece of Britney Spears’s chewed gum was sold on eBay for $14,000 in 2004, according to People.
We picture Brit’s reaction to the sale as something like this:
Meanwhile, a half-eaten plate of French toast served to Brit’s former beau Justin Timberlake during a radio interview sold for more than $3,000, Paste Magazine reported in 2009.
We’re guessing Justin responded to the news about his old breakfast just like his ex:
On the grosser side, someone paid $5,300 for a used tissue from none other than actress Scarlet Johansson.
At least the proceeds were given to charity, right?
Inexplicably, a jar purportedly containing the breath of former couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt sold for a whopping $530 on eBay.
Somehow, we doubt those air molecules will appreciate in value.
Star Trek actor William Shatner once sold his own kidney stone (along with a surgical stint and string) for $25,000 in 2006.
A piece of burnt hair once belonging to musician Michael Jackson — whose hair famously caught fire during filming for a Pepsi commercial — sold for $1,600 at auction in 1984.
Finally, a glass from which Justin Bieber drank some milk after a concert in London went for an impressive $70,000 on eBay.
Talk about being a Belieber!
Let’s be honest, though — Bieber probably got a kick out of it:
Considering the handwritten setlist, whoever purchased Cobain’s used pizza plate probably got a better deal than any other buyer on this list.
If nothing else, they’ll always have a cool story to tell at parties.
