Michael Jackson Thriller jacket gets 1.8 million dollars

Jun 27, 2011, 0:02 GMT

Washington - Michael Jackson's red Thriller jacket fetched a whopping 1.8 million dollars at this weekend's auction of memorabilia of music greats, two years after his tragic death.

Julien's Auctions house in California on Sunday tweeted the news: 'Wow! Another record for our Michael Jackson!!!'

The bid far exceeded expectations of 200,000 to 400,000 dollars for the winged-shoulder jacket made famous in one of Jackson's greatest songs and performances, the zombie revels of Thriller.

The King of Pop died at age 50 on June 25, 2009, apparently from an overdose of the powerful anaesthetic propofol that had been administered as a sleeping help. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, is to stand trial on charges of involuntary manslaughter over the pop star's death.

Jackson items outshone other offerings from the Beatles, Madonna and Elvis Presley. His hand-written lyrics for 'We are the World' went for 270,000 dollars. His platinum record award went for 20,000 dollars, and a pair of sunglasses for 60,000 dollars, Juliens said.

Part of the proceeds from Jackson's memorabilia will go to the Shambala Preserve in California, where Jackson's two Bengal tigers, Thriller and Sabu, have lived for five years.

Items sold from other music greats included Frank Sinatra's boots (2,500 dollars) and his 1986 Jaguar (19,000 dollars). Elvis Presley's US-Army sewing kit went for 1,536 dollars.

Ringo's cape that he wore in the Beatles' movie Help went for 37,500 dollars, five times what had been expected, CNN reported