The most expensive item on this list of Guinness World Records auction records is a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, sold by Sotheby’s in Stuttgart on 5 May 2022 for $142,769,250 including premium. That is the most expensive car ever sold at auction and, by a wide margin, the biggest record on the list. The other nine are a mix of cards, instruments, handbags, fish and sports memorabilia, ranked here by the price paid as of October 2026. Where a Guinness page was out of date, we used the newer verified record.
| Rank | Item | Price (USD) | Sale date | Sold at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe | $142,769,250 | May 2022 | Sotheby’s, Stuttgart |
| 2 | Babe Ruth’s 1932 “called shot” jersey | $24.12 million | Aug 2024 | Heritage Auctions |
| 3 | 1933 Double Eagle gold coin | $18,872,250 | Jun 2021 | Sotheby’s, New York |
| 4 | Pikachu Illustrator Pokémon card | $16,492,000 | Feb 2026 | Goldin Auctions |
| 5 | Lady Blunt Stradivarius violin | about $15.9 million | Jun 2011 | Tarisio, London |
| 6 | Bay Psalm Book | $14,165,000 | Nov 2013 | Sotheby’s, New York |
| 7 | The Original Birkin handbag | $10,052,940 | Jul 2025 | Sotheby’s, Paris |
| 8 | 243 kg bluefin tuna | about $3.25 million | Jan 2026 | Toyosu Market, Tokyo |
| 9 | Al Capone’s Colt .45 pistol | $1,040,600 | Oct 2021 | Witherell’s, Sacramento |
| 10 | Barkingham Palace dog house | about $385,000 (£250,000) | 2008 | Built to order |
1. Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe: $142,769,250
Only two of these coupes were built, and one of them left the Mercedes-Benz collection at a private, invitation-only auction held at the company’s museum in Stuttgart. British dealer Simon Kidston made the winning bid for an unnamed client, and the price of €135.1 million nearly tripled the previous record, the $48 million paid for a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO in 2018. We use Guinness’s published figure, which includes the buyer’s premium.
2. Babe Ruth’s “called shot” jersey: $24.12 million
The road jersey that Ruth wore at the 1932 World Series sold at Heritage Auctions in August 2024 to an anonymous buyer, below the $30 million estimate but still the most expensive sporting memorabilia ever sold. It replaced a $12.6 million Mickey Mantle card from 2022, which is the figure the Guinness page still lists.
3. 1933 Double Eagle: $18,872,250
The only 1933 Double Eagle that is legal to own sold again at Sotheby’s New York on 8 June 2021, this time for $18,872,250 against an estimate of $10 million to $15 million, with the proceeds going to charity. In 2002 the same coin had fetched $7.59 million, which is the older figure that Guinness still shows. It was once owned by King Farouk of Egypt.
4. Pikachu Illustrator: $16,492,000
The newest record on this list. A PSA Gem Mint 10 copy of the Pokémon Pikachu Illustrator card sold through Goldin on 16 February 2026 for $16,492,000 including premium. The seller, Logan Paul, had paid $5,275,000 for it in 2021. It passed the $12.9 million paid in 2025 for a Jordan and Bryant autograph card.
5. Lady Blunt Stradivarius: about $15.9 million
Tarisio sold this violin online on 20 June 2011 for £9,808,000 on behalf of the Nippon Music Foundation, and the proceeds went to relief for the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. It is the record for any musical instrument at auction according to Guinness, and its authenticity was certified by W.E. Hill & Sons.
6. Bay Psalm Book: $14,165,000
The first book printed in British North America, in 1640, with around 1,700 copies produced and 11 known survivors. David Rubenstein bought one at Sotheby’s on 26 November 2013, the highest price a book has fetched at auction according to Guinness.
7. The Original Birkin: $10,052,940
The prototype Hermès Birkin made for Jane Birkin in 1985 sold at Sotheby’s in Paris on 10 July 2025 for €8,582,500. The buyer was a Japanese company, Valuence Japan. It is the most expensive handbag ever sold at auction.
8. Bluefin tuna: about $3.25 million
A 243 kg tuna caught off Oma went for ¥510.3 million at the first Toyosu auction of 2026, to the company behind the Sushi Zanmai chain. Guinness lists it as the most expensive tuna sold at auction.
9. Al Capone’s Colt .45: $1,040,600
A semi-automatic pistol once owned by the gangster sold at Witherell’s in Sacramento in October 2021 for $1,040,600, the record for a gun at auction. The page shows two dates, 4 and 8 October.
10. Barkingham Palace: about $385,000
Not an auction record but a build-cost record. Guinness lists this dog house, designed by architect Andy Ramus in 2008 with a retina-controlled dog flap, a plasma TV and temperature control, as the most expensive pet home at £250,000.
Records set in 2025 and 2026
- February 2026: the Pikachu Illustrator sale at $16,492,000, a record for any trading card.
- January 2026: the ¥510.3 million bluefin tuna.
- July 2025: the Original Birkin at about $10 million.
- August 2024: the Babe Ruth jersey at $24.12 million.
What drives these prices
- One of a kind. Only two Uhlenhaut coupes exist, and there is one called-shot jersey.
- Story. A prototype made for a star, or a coin the government once ordered destroyed.
- Fresh sellers. A famous seller can lift a card from $5 million to $16 million in five years.
- Stale records. Guinness pages lag, so the newest sale is often not the listed one.
FAQ
What is the most expensive item ever sold at auction?
Among the Guinness records here, the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, at $142,769,250 in May 2022.
What is the newest record?
The Pikachu Illustrator Pokémon card at $16,492,000, on 16 February 2026.
Why are some Guinness pages out of date?
Guinness says its records change daily and are not always published at once. We checked the coin and sports memorabilia against newer sales.
How much did the Original Birkin sell for?
€8,582,500, about $10 million, at Sotheby’s Paris in July 2025.
Who bought the record tuna?
Kiyomura Corporation, the company behind the Sushi Zanmai restaurant chain.
What is the cheapest item on this list?
The Barkingham Palace dog house, at about $385,000, and it was built, not auctioned.
How we put this list together
We ranked these items by verified sale price, using auction results and disclosed sales compiled in an internal valuation model. Prices are approximate and change over time.
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Last updated: October 2026.
