$1,750 for single strand of Elvis' hair

Celebrity hair clippings have become big business.

Over the years we have sold clippings from the heads of Charles Dickens, George Washington, Paul McCartney and John Lennon.

So it's no surprise to see a single strand of hair from the head of Elvis Presley sell for £1,055 (approximately $1,750), against an estimate of just £250 ($420).

After competitive bidding the single hair sold at the Henry Aldridge & Son auction in Wiltshire.  

The hair had been kept by Homer Gill Gilleland, Elvis' barber, who toured with The King for more than 20 years.

After Elvis' death in 1977 Mr Gilleland is said to have started selling strands of hair as souvenirs opposite Graceland in Memphis.

The strand of hair at auction had been given to Thomas B Morgan in 2002. Morgan worked in the Sheriff's office of Shelby County and knew both Elvis and Mr Gilleland.

It's not the first time Elvis' hair has made the headlines...

Back in November 2002 a small jar of his hair clippings sold for $115,000 (approximately £75,000 at the time).

Last year, Elvis was 2nd on the Forbes' annual list of the top-earning dead celebrities with his estate earnings estimated at $42 million. He also topped the list in 2005.

Due to his millions of fans around the world Elvis is a top investment in the world of memorabilia.

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