Michael Jackson auction brings in $1.5 million
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - An auction of the King of Pop Michael Jackson's memorabilia this week brought in between 1.5 and two million dollars, said the company that organized the sale, promising to hold another.
Among the 1,100 items for sale Wednesday and Thursday at a Las Vegas hotel were a suit that sold for 22,800 dollars and a black crested jacket for 20,400 dollars, said a statement Friday from Universal Express.
Awards that Jackson won for the collaborative song "We Are the World" and the MTV Video Music Award he won for USA for Africa brought in 20,400 dollars and 19,200 dollars respectively.
"Although the final tally is still being calculated, Universal Express estimates total sales of this first stage to be between 1.5 - 2 million," the company said.
"The extraordinary response to the auction has prompted Universal Express to plan a second Jackson Family auction, which will feature some of the merchandise held back from this week's event, as well as many smaller, less expensive items."
Universal Express had purchased thousands of Jackson family items, goods which belonged to one of the singer's associates but were seized by creditors when the person went bankrupt.
Jackson himself initially opposed the auction before the matter was resolved amicably.
The 48-year-old singer quit Neverland and spent most of the past two years in the Gulf state of Bahrain after a California court acquitted him in 2005 of child molestation charges. He has recently moved breites Grinsen to Las Vegas.
