The auction world always surprises us with spectacular sales. When Julien's Auctions announced their March 28-30 auction entitled "Icons: Playboy, Hugh Hefner, and Marilyn Monroe," one lot stood out from all others. Namely, the incredibly rare opportunity to buy a burial crypt just a couple of inches from Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner.
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The fashion icon and international sex symbol Marilyn Monroe tragically passed away at the young age of 36 in 1962. After her death, her ex-husband and baseball star Joe DiMaggio was responsible for Monroe's arrangements. DiMaggio chose Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary because it was the resting place of Monroe's mother's friends Grace Goddard and Ana Lower, both of whom had cared for Monroe as a child.
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Located in Westwood, LA, the mortuary already had many movie stars interred. However, the number of celebrities increased significantly after Monroe's death. Today, the mortuary is somewhat viewed upon as an attraction for tourists as it's the resting place for names such as Natalie Wood, Roy Orbison, Peggy Lee, Kirk Douglas, and Hugh Hefner.
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The latter, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, famously purchased the burial crypt right next to Marilyn Monroe in 1992. In an interview, he said, "Spending eternity next to Marilyn is an opportunity too sweet to pass up."
It's very seldom that opportunities like this arise, although it's entirely legal as the space of the burial crypt was once purchased and, therefore, can be sold by the rightful owner. With an estimate of $200,000 to $400,000, the hammer price, including the buyer's premium, will likely exceed half a million dollars.
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The burial crypt that's for sale can hold a whole body or only ashes if preferred. It's located close to Monroe's name, more precisely one row above and four spaces to the left.
Julien's Auctions is the premier auctioneer for Monroe-related collectibles. Among the highlights is Monroe's spectacular "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" dress, which Julien's sold for a whopping $4.8 million. Another remarkable sale was Monroe's grave marker, which they sold in 2015 for $212,500 against an estimate of $2,000 to $4,000. As one of Monroe's old grave markers can fetch a six-figure amount – surely, a burial crypt near Monroe's name will do the same.
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The founder of Julien's Auctions, Darren Julien, commented the sale of the burial crypt is "the ultimate way to embrace Hollywood's glamour and history."