This Is How Much Elvis Presley's Private Jet Just Sold for at Auction

The King of Rock and Roll purchased the plane about eight months before his death in 1977.

A private jet that once belonged to Elvis Presley sold at auction in Florida on what would have been the singer's 88th birthday.

Wisconsin-based collector vehicle auctioneer Mecum Auctions announced the red and silver 1962 Lockheed 1329 JetStar sold on January 8 for $286,000, per Fox Business.

Elvis Presley’s private jet, complete with plush red velvet seats, carpeted walls, microwave and retro styling, is up for sale again.

Once owned by a company from Saudi Arabia and listed on UAE selling site Dubizzle the Elvis jet was sold through the Mecum Auctions website. 

According to Mecum Auctions, the 61-year-old jet is one of 202 JetStar airplanes manufactured by the Lockheed Corporation.

Presley reportedly purchased the plane from OMNI Aircraft Sales Inc. on December 22, 1976 for $840,000.

At the time, the jet was top of the line, complete with custom red velvet upholstery, gold-finish hardware, a microwave, VCR, cassette player and other then-luxurious amenities, per Smithsonian Magazine.

The jet was one of several private planes, including an additional JetStar and Convair 880 passenger plane, that Presley owned throughout his career, and he kept two pilots on retainer, Artnet reported.

Lockheed jets were seen as the private planes of the stars in the 1970s and Elvis Presley had a fleet of planes. He tragically died less than a year after buying the plane.

The plane is not able to fly, and has been kept in an aircraft graveyard in Roswell USA for more than 30 years.

That has not stopped it from having a colourful owner ship history.

It turned up on UAE classified advertising website Dubizzle with a started selling price of AED375,000.

Mecum Auctions does not give a guide price or details on the current owner, but does give extensive details on the Elvis plane.

“Inside, the cabin features wood paneling and red velvet upholstery with gold-finish hardware. There’s seating for nine by way of six plush chairs that swivel and recline, along with a couch.

“An onboard entertainment system is tucked away in a media cabinet, featuring a television, RCA VCR player and audio cassette player, and headphone ports with audio controls are located at every seat.

“A galley contains storage and a meal-prep area complete with a Kenmore microwave and beverage dispenser. At the rear is a lavatory along with additional storage and cubby areas.

Celebrity memorabilia and possessions of any kind can fetch a small fortune at auction. Last month a pair of old Birkenstock sandals once worn by Apple founder Steve Jobs were sold for nearly $220,000 at auction in California.

Sources : Arabian Business & Entrepreneur