The Most Expensive Things Ever Sold

There’s something about obscene price tags that’s just irresistible. It’s not even about the money - it’s the fact that someone saw an object and thought, "Yeah, this is worth more than a private island, and I need it."

Whether it’s art, cars, luxury watches, or NFTs (more than one in our list), today I’m taking you on a ride through some of the most insane sales the public world has ever witnessed. Buckle up. This will be crazy.

Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A-010 — $31.9 Million (2019)

In 2019, the one-of-one stainless steel Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A-010 sold for $31.9 million, making it the most expensive wristwatch ever auctioned.

And honestly? It deserved every penny. The watch has two dials, 20 complications, and enough Swiss craftsmanship to blow away even the snobbiest collector.

 

Source: PatekPhilippe

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO - $51.7 Million (2023)

You know you’re dealing with something special when a car pulls in more money than most people will ever see in ten lifetimes. The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO is that car - a perfect mix of racing history, artful design, and raw Italian soul.

Sold in 2023 for a spicy $51.7 million, this beast isn’t just metal and horsepower. It’s a trophy for the kind of buyer who doesn’t really care when gas hits $10 a gallon. There are luxury cars... and then there’s Ferrari 250 GTO luxury.

Source: TheNewYorkTimes

Beeple’s Everydays: The First 5000 Days - $69.3 Million (2021)

Yeah, NFTs had their moment. And this was the moment that blew everyone's mind. Beeple, a guy who posted a new digital artwork every single day for over thirteen years, saw his collection sell for $69.3 million at Christie’s.

Whether you think NFTs are the future or just another flex for bored billionaires, you’ve got to respect the grind. Beeple kicked down the door for digital art in a way nobody had before. Massive.

Source: Artalistic

The Pink Star - $71.1 Million (2017)

A gemstone so bright you almost have to squint. The Pink Star, a 59.6-carat pink diamond, shattered auction records when it sold for $71.1 million.

This thing is pure, crystallised bragging rights.

Source: NationalJeweler

Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) by David Hockney - $90.3 Million (2018)

Sometimes a painting hits you not because it’s a DaVinci (more on that later), but because it’s... cool.

David Hockney's Portrait of an Artist has that lazy, Californian, sun-drenched vibe that you just want to live inside of. In 2018, it became the most expensive painting by a living artist, selling for $90.3 million.

Source:MyArtBroker

Rabbit by Jeff Koons - $91 Million (2019)

A shiny inflatable bunny... made of stainless steel... that sold for $91 million. That’s Jeff Koons' Rabbit sculpture.

It’s playful. It’s minimalist. It’s a little absurd. And it’s a gigantic joke to the idea that art has to be serious. You don’t buy Rabbit because it’s pretty; you buy it because you’re in on the joke, and you can afford to laugh all the way.

Source: TheBostonGlobe

Merge by Pak - $91.8 Million (2021)

Another day, another NFT.

Pak, a mysterious digital artist (seriously, nobody even knows who they are), pulled off a wild move in 2021: selling Merge for $91.8 million. Instead of a single piece, Merge was broken into millions of "mass units," bought by 30,000+ collectors.

It was part art, part social experiment. Love it or hate it, Merge changed the game.

Source: Gemini

Flag by Jasper Johns - $110 Million (2010)

An American flag on a canvas. What?

Jasper Johns’ Flag redefined what painting could be. In 2010, one of his versions sold privately for around $110 million.

It’s simple. It’s bold. It’s American identity boiled down to one small rectangle. And it's proof that sometimes, the simplest symbols carry the heaviest weight (and the heaviest price tags).

 

Source: Reddit

L’Homme au doigt by Alberto Giacometti - $141 Million (2015)

A skinny bronze dude pointing into the distance? Yeah, that'll be $141 million, please.

Alberto Giacometti’s L’Homme au doigt is minimalist sculpture at its absolute finest. The lines, the movement, the sheer attitude in this piece... it’s quietly powerful.

The 2015 sale proved something important: true art doesn’t have to be anything overly complicated. Sometimes it just has to exist in a way you can’t ignore.

Source: ArtNews

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé - $142 Million (2022)

The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé is basically the holy grail of automobiles. Only two exist. And when one of them sold for $142 million in 2022, it instantly became the most expensive car ever sold.

This German masterpiece is probably not being driven much, but it certainly ups the level of your garage.

Source: Racer

Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci - $450 Million (2017)

And now... the king.

In 2017, Salvator Mundi - one of fewer than 20 surviving paintings by Leonardo da Vinci - sold for a mind-boggling $450 million.

It’s intense when you think about it. A 500-year-old piece of human history. Every crack, every brushstroke, every molecule is the definition of the Renaissance.

Source: CNN

Final Thoughts

Here’s the thing about these wild prices: it's not really about what these things are. It's about what they represent. Vision. Craftsmanship. Legacy. Power.

At the end of the day, anyone can spend money. But owning a $450 million da Vinci? A $142 million Benz? A $31 million Patek? People buying these must be onto something.