Do you ever fantasize about what you would buy if you had a million dollars? While some famous people buy unique items with their money, others invest theirs. Below is a listing of some of the eccentric purchases that celebrities have made over time.
- A Stolen Dinosaur Skull
Popular actor, Nicholas Cage, loves collecting fossils. In fact, he loves the activity so much that in 2007 he added a 67-million-old dinosaur skull to his sizable collection. The Tarbosaurus Bataar skull represents a dinosaur closely related to the famous Tyrannosaurus Rex.
In fact, both Nicholas and Leonardo DiCaprio bid on the skull when it was auctioned as an antiquity. However, Nicholas won the bid, paying $270,000 for the ancient artifact. Like Cage, Leonardo DiCaprio also enjoys collecting fossils. Later, it was found that the paleontologist, who discovered the skull, was charged with illegally importing fossils.
According to a December 2015 newspaper article, Cage agreed to return the skull, which, in fact, had been stolen. The guilty paleontologist, Eric Prokopi, who smuggled skulls and fossils out of Mongolia, spent three months in prison for pilfering the bones.
- An Exclusive Dog Mansion
We all like to see our dogs happy and comfortable. Paris Hilton is no exception in this respect. That is why the Hilton heiress spilled $325,000 to buy an exclusive dog house for her miniature-sized pets. Designed in the form of a small mansion, the structure provides all the canine comforts of home. The mini manse features heating and air conditioning, and even a crystal chandelier.
The exclusive dog home even has a garden where the doggies can dig and frolic to their heart’s content. A balcony and stairs provide the ultimate in doggy luxury. Many people have mortgages that are significantly less than a quarter of a million dollars that Paris spent.
- Two Bengal Tigers
While most of us can get a pet cat for free, provided it is a rescue, Mike Tyson has used his fortune to buy some big cats – cats that you only find in the jungle. The former boxer purchased two Bengal tigers for the neat sum of $140,000. Tyson, who knocked out boxing rival, Michael Spinks, in 1988, also spent $2 million to install a bathtub and has forked over close to $5 million for autos.
- A Turkish Rug Bath Mat
Where do you buy your bath mats? If you are Ben Affleck, you go to Istanbul. The star purchased a Turkish rug at a bazaar in the city. Ben enthusiastically gave the vendor $2,500 after he was told the rug possessed magical and royal powers. However, he eventually made the rug a bath mat, as his wife, at the time, had already ordered a rug for their living room.
- An Expensive Sleep Solution
While most of us like to take advantage of the recurring mattress sales, Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame, looks for mattresses that carry a much higher price tag. In this instance, Radcliffe freely paid $17,000 for his mattress. That seems like a great deal of money to spend to get a good night’s sleep. Radcliffe, who was initially paid $320,000, as a young actor, seems to like spending money just like his Harry Potter co-star, Rupert Grint. Grint paid out money to buy an ice cream van from his Harry potter earnings.
- A Gold-plated iPhone Case
Former Spice Girl, Victoria Beckham, was spotted in 2011 carrying a gold-plated iPhone 4. UK designer Stuart Hughes created the case, which was made with 150 grams of the 24-carat metal. Once called Posh Spice, Beckham was seen at London’s Heathrow Airport with the $33,000 gold-cased iPhone in tow.
How about You?
What would you buy if you had all types of money to spend? Having money can cause people to develop unusual collections or to alter their personal tastes. Do you think it would affect you similarly? What would you buy if you were given a million dollars?
