MEMPHIS, TN— Want to be buried where the king was first laid to rest? You can, but it will cost you at least $100,000.
Elvis Presley's crypt goes to auction next month. Auctioneers believe it may go as high as half a million dollars. Fans have mixed feelings about it. On one side Elvis Presley fans say if they had the money they would buy his crypt in a heart beat. Others believe it's sacred and should remain empty.
"That's crazy. I never heard of anything so silly,” said Elvis fan Brenda from Toronto.
"No, I don't think that's bizarre. I absolutely believe someone will buy it. We would if we could,” said another Elvis fan, Ron Sparks, as he laughed.
"I don't think they should, no,” said Elvis fan Donna Terry.
If you’re the ultimate Elvis fan you could buy his original crypt.
"Believe it or not it is something that an Elvis Presley fan would want to have and would want to be entombed in,” said Darren Julien, CEO of Julien’s Auctions.
Julien's Auctions is selling several celebrity items on June 23 in Beverly Hills. Elvis' crypt is one of the most popular. The starting bid is $100,000. Julien says everything he's sold that belonged to Elvis attracted bidders from around the world.
"Several years ago we sold prescription bottles,” said Julien. “They were put in the trash when he was alive at Graceland and a fan pulled those items out of the trash and then signed them to us years later. These were empty prescription bottles and we sold them for as much as $15,000.”
When Presley died, his body was kept in the crypt at Forest Hill cemetery in South Memphis for 2 months. Then his body was moved to Graceland to protect it from possible grave robbers. Presley's crypt remained empty for more than 3 decades, but that may soon change for the right price.
Other Elvis memorabilia up for auction: a hat he wore in the movie "Charro," a ring, clothes, and handwritten lyrics. Bids start as low as $400. You can bid online at
juliensauctions.com beginning June 23rd.
