Toys For Billionaires: 20 Things Not Even The 100 Million Dollar Man Can Buy
Millionaires and billionaires have always shocked the world with their unending hunger for life’s best, that’s why it’s almost impossible not to hear about the planes, yachts or houses that billionaires spend their money on. It’s an unending conversation. With their sophisticated lifestyles, luxury vehicles and fancy jewelry, billionaires can afford just about anything they wish. So while you are still thinking about the richest people on earth and what they own, we have compiled a list of 20 things not even the 100 million dollar man can buy.
Billionaires will stop at nothing when it comes to splashing their cash and there’s nothing that’s too expensive for them to afford, whether it be cars, art, antiques or the occasional embalmed shark. This is a list of the ultimate billionaire toys! Some of the things on this list will shock you while some of the toys here are outrageously unnecessary, but the price tags seem to attract these rich boys.
From a life-sized shark to Hitler’s Mercedes, these are just a few things that your average millionaire cannot afford to waste their money on. Whether it’s their hard earned cash, or they’ve easily inherited money, billionaires have a taste for things that no one can afford apart from themselves.
20. The Batmobile
Ever wondered who owns the Batmobile? Well, you a probably thinking Batman, right? Wrong! S. Truett Cathy owns the Batmobile. Making his fortune from one of the largest food chains, Chick-fil-A, he is estimated to be well over $2 billion. While $2 billion can buy you a lot of fancy things, this billionaire chose to spend his fortune on a unique piece of machinery in the Batmobile. This vehicle was used in the 1992 classic Batman Returns movie and was retailing for a whopping $250,000. The Batmobile is currently estimated to be worth a few hundred million. You will have to be a billionaire if you want a piece of that action!
19. Damien Hirst’s 14 ft. Shark
Steven Cohen, one of America’s most influential businessmen, is worth $11.4 billion; he is the hedge-fund manager and the founder of SAC capital. His love for the expensive is nothing new, and he is known to have once spent $137 million on de Kooning’s Woman III. This is the second most expensive piece of art ever sold as a painting. Recently, it is said that the hedge fund billionaire splurged $110 million for a Jasper Jones. Clearly, there is no limit when it comes to Steven Cohen’s sending. But what got him on this list is Damien Hirst’s Shark, and it’s a good thing that this giant killer was struggling with some serious deterioration issues and had to be stored in alcohol. The hedge fund boss got this giant fish for a cool $8 million.
18. Boeing 757 Private Jet
Donald Trump, billionaire, businessman, and now president of the United States of America, is not new to a lavish lifestyle. Donald Trump bought a Boeing 757 from Paul Allen, yet another billionaire and co-founder of Microsoft, for a jaw-dropping $100 million before giving it a makeover to suit his standards. Trump’s private jet is fitted with gold crusted seat belts, with Trump logos engraved everywhere, even on the outside. The furnishings are all blended with gold, making this the exclusive billionaire jet plane. While flying private might be a daily routine for most millionaires, owning a jet of their own is for the billionaires club.
17. World War II Planes
A lot of people own planes in the world, even tycoons deep in the African jungle do, but there are planes only the rich can afford. I am not talking about helicopters or private jets. It takes a billionaire to own an antique World War II plane, and Paul Allen, Co-founder of Microsoft and billionaire, owns one such jet. Paul Allen is worth $21 billion and has a passion for collecting and restoring old World War II era planes. He currently owns about 20, and they are stacked up at his home in Paine Field, Everett. The hanger alone cost the billionaire $5.2 million.
16. Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa
This is one of a few rare cars that remain up to date. This is because only 21 of these cars are known ever to have been produced, the reason why it’s one of the most expensive cars that has ever been sold. This car was sold for a stunning $16.4 million, and it happened back in 2011. It is still unknown who bought this rare piece of history, but it’s clear enough that this billionaire has enough money to buy a car that he wouldn’t be able to drive. With a price tag like that, only a billionaire would be able to afford it.
15. Cable Car
If you tried to count the number of people in Malibu or Beverly Hills who have tennis courts and swimming pools at their backyards, you’d probably lose count. However, Billionaire Larry Ellison, Oracle CEO, is rich enough to own property that would need a cable car to connect his backyard to his main house. His $20 million house in Malibu is big enough to warrant a cable car, and with all the improvements made by the Oracle Boss, this house is probably much more than just an expensive home. While this might seem like an extravagant move to the normal millionaire, to billionaire Larry Ellison, it’s like getting candy from the convenience store. His net worth is estimated at $26 billion.
14. Most Expensive Car In The world
The Sultan of Brunei is king when it comes to living lavishly, and he has already earned the title of having the most expensive haircut in the world; one that’s worth about $21,495. The “Star of India,” a $14 million Rolls Royce formerly owned by Maharaja of Rajkot, was nothing for the Sultan. While a millionaire would have to save for years to get their hands on this ageless antique, for a billionaire Sultan of Brunei, it was effortless. One more thing the sultan can afford that probably no one else can, immunity from court!
13. Expensive Art
The rich are known to spend quite a lot of time at art galleries and auctions, bidding and fighting for the most expensive pieces of art. But the super rich billionaire wastes no time at these auctions and are always the big bidders. Ronald Lauder is one such billionaire, known for his expensive taste in art. He is the heir to the Estee Lauder Cosmetic Company and has been estimated to be worth about $3.2 billion. The cosmetics heir has an art collection that’s valued at close to $650 million. On his list is the Kirchner that he got in 2006 for $38 million and a portrait by Klimt for $135 million, which is the third most expensive painting ever sold in the world.
12. Largest Yacht In The World
Visit all the holiday destinations, and you will find rich people sailing on the beaches in their private yachts. Well, the extremely rich billionaires have changed the yachting game, and in their club, the biggest yachts are what really count. Here only the billionaire can handle the heat, and Roman Abramovich is at the center of all this mayhem. The Russian businessman who is the owner of the football clubs Chelsea FC and Millhouse LLC has an estimated worth of $11.2 billion. His Mega Yacht, the Eclipse, was purchased for a whopping $450 million and is currently one of the largest yachts in the world.
11. Necker Island
Most people spend their entire lifetime paying their houses off. However, the rich can acquire a mansion in a heartbeat. While most people own and dream of owning mansions, Richard Branson bought Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands when he was only 28 years old. Back then, the Virgin group was only 6 years of age. He is currently estimated to be worth $2.5 billion. At the time, Richard Branson was able to acquire the 74-acre piece of land for $100,000. However, other sources claim it was $270,000. Your average millionaire can only dream of this property. The Island is now estimated to be worth a whopping $65 million.
10. Hitler’s Mercedes Benz
It’s estimated that Russia has 62 billionaires, and one of them is the proud owner of Hitler’s private Mercedes. This unique piece of history, though a reminder of a grim past, was sold for a sum of $6 million and later $15 million. The new owner of Hitler’s most prized possession is anonymous and has chosen to stay that way. Either way, this historical automobile is only a toy that can be afforded by a billionaire. While this might be a car that you can only enjoy marvelling at in a museum, this billionaire felt it was fit for his own personal enjoyment.
9. Magnificent Washington Mansion
Most people cannot afford to own 10,000 square feet of anything. Well Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, is the owner of a 66,000 square foot mansion in Medina, Washington. While Bill Gates might still not be the richest man in the world like he used to be, he is estimated to be worth well over $53 billion. It’s reported that back in 2009 the taxes accrued from his home were a whopping $1 million on his property, which was at the time valued to be around $147 million. You have to be a billionaire to pay $1 million in taxes.
8. 18th Century Florentine Cabinet
This has to be the world’s most expensive piece of furniture ever sold. This cabinet was sold to the Prince of Liechtenstein’s for a stunning $36 million at the 2004 Christie’s Auction. After it had been sold, the price tag was set for the most expensive piece of furniture ever to be sold in the world. So what makes this piece of furniture a billionaire’s toy? Well, it is inlaid with amethyst quartz, lapis lazuli, and agate. His piece of furniture was previously owned by Barbara Piasecka in 1990 for $16 million. The prince later donated this expensive piece of furniture to the Liechtenstein Museum in Austria.
7. Secret Space Rocket
If you have used Amazon before, then here’s a piece of information that might interest you. Amazon multi-billionaire, founder and owner Jeff Bezos is investing a part of his fortune in a secret space rocket project known as the Blue Origin. Jeff Bezos is worth $12.3 billion. This project is a groundbreaking investment that is aimed to be able to lift humans 75 miles above the earth, floating for about 3 minutes in microgravity and then getting them safely back to earth. Apart from what Bezos has invested in the project, it has also received $3.7 million from NASA, making it the ultimate billionaire’s toy.
6. The Galactic Spaceship
Richard Branson has gotten himself yet another spot on this list. It seems like his love for the super expensive is incomparable. Richard Branson is currently worth $2.5 billion. He has spent about $200 million of his fortune on an 8 passenger spaceship. When the project is completed, the spaceship will provide 6 minutes of weightlessness for its passengers, who will each have to pay $200,000 for a single ticket. Authorities in New Mexico believe in his idea and are investing close to $200 million for a runway and hanger for the spaceship. Clearly, Richard Branson got his priorities right!
5. Michael Jackson’s Thriller Jacket
Well, we all want a piece of this jacket. A charity auction was organized, and Milton Verret managed to beat six other bidders and gained the sole rights to Michael Jackson’s famous red jacket. He had to pay a staggering $1.8 million which is the highest amount ever to be paid by anyone in the world for a Rock and Roll outfit. May the spirit of Michael always be with him. While most millionaires will struggle to keep up with the latest designer suits, Milton Verret bought a piece of music memorabilia for a whopping $1.8 million.
4. Recreational Submarine
Apart from investing part of his fortune from his Virgin group of companies, Richard Branson has yet another spot on this list for having several cool recreational vehicles. These expensive toys are not your normal millionaire boat skis. One of them named the “Necker Nymph” is a three passenger submarine that allows its passengers to have a 360-degree tour of the undersea world. To have a go at this exclusive billionaire toy from Necker Island will cost you $25,000 a week. Well, you might have to deny your wife that dream car she’s always wanted to have a go at this billionaire toy.
3. Virtual Ski Machine
Being rich gives you access to a whole lot of extraordinary toys and equipment. Well, Russian billionaire and businessman Mikhail Prokhorov is known for his taste in expensive toys, one of the most iconic being the Virtual Ski Machine. It seems the Russian billionaire will stop at nothing, and he seems unshaken even with a league champion English Premiership Soccer club that he owns and bought for $200 million. The Russian billionaire is also a daredevil, and he once filmed himself doing a few stunts on his jet ski and had a production company produce it.
2. Personal Fire Brigade
While most of us would spend $100 million on fancy cars and holidays abroad. George Lucas has spent part of his fortune, $100 million to be precise, on a fire brigade for his Skywalker Ranch in Nicasio, California. He also ensured that it’s well protected and has its own staff. His fleet consists of 12 full-time firefighters, a few volunteers, and two fire trucks. The purpose of this fleet is to protect the ranch and the production facility of the property as well. But from time to time they assist the Marinwood Fire Department when help is needed.
1. Leonardo Da Vinci’s Journal
It’s said that only 30 of Leonardo Da Vinci’s journals are still available, and the Codex Leicester is the most popular of them all. Well, if you wanted to own this piece of literature then you would have to be a billionaire, and Bill Gates the founder of Microsoft is that person. The Microsoft founder bought this historical piece of literature back in 1994 at an auction making it the most expensive book ever to be sold in the world. After purchasing this piece, Bill Gates digitized it as a comprehensive CD-ROM. You can own a piece of this history now for less than $30.