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SMALL BUSINESS
Rarest Items in the World
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AP | Getty Images
Bet You Don't Own
One of These!
Luxist.com takes a peek inside the world of the uncommon and elusive. From wine, coins and jewels to jeans, pets and food -- they reveal the world's rarest items in each of 18 categories.
Click through our gallery to see which prized possessions made the list -- and what makes them so special.
Next: Heard of This Gem?More Photo Galleries:
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Anja Niedringhaus, AP
Rarest Gems
The world's rarest gem is believed to be painite. The painite is orangish or reddish brown and was first discovered in Burma in the '50s. Within the last couple of years, the source of the two original painite crystals was discovered and now a few hundred faceted stones exist. A more well-known (but still very rare) gem is the red diamond (pic. left).
· More Details on Rarest Gems
Next: Rarest SignatureMore Photo Galleries:
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Rarest Signature
He may have done a lot of writing, but with only 6 of them in existence William Shakespeare's signature is one of the rarest of all and is valued somewhere around $3 million dollars.
· See Shakespeare's Signature
Next: Rarest Cats & DogsMore Photo Galleries:
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Lifestyle Pets
Rarest Cats & Dogs
Of the rarest cat breeds, the Ashera (pic. left) is the most expensive ($20K+), the Sokoke the most exotic (from the wilds of Africa), and the Egyptian Mau has the coolest history (lived with the Egyptians). As for dog breeds, the one that keeps popping up on all the "rare" lists is the Lundehund, originally bred by the Vikings to hunt Puffins. Other rare breeds include Otterhounds and Stabyhounds.
· More on Rare Cats & Dogs
Next: Rarest Comic BooksMore Photo Galleries:
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Mario Tama, Getty Images
Rarest Comic Books
One of the rarest comic books still in existence in near-perfect condition is an issue of "Amazing Spider-Man #1," rare not only because of its singularity but also because of its quality. The comic book sold for only 12 cents per copy when it was published in March 1963, and is now worth over $40K -- not an exceedingly high price for comic books -- but extremely rare in such pristine condition.
· More Rarest Comics Details
Next: Rarest StampMore Photo Galleries:
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Brian Ranmussen, AP
Rarest Stamps
According to Wikipedia, the most expensive item by weight and volume is the Treskilling Yellow stamp from Sweden. It has a current estimated worth of $2.3 million. Here's what makes it so valuable: In 1858, when the currency was known as the skilling, the 3-skilling stamp ("treskilling") was printed in blue. And an 8-skilling stamp was printed in yellow. But due to a printing error, a few 3-skilling stamps were printed in yellow. More on This Stamp
Next: Rarest Sea SaltMore Photo Galleries:
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Rarest Sea Salt
The earliest known sea salt produced by the Japanese may be the rarest of all. Called Amabito No Moshio ("Ancient Sea Salt"), unpolluted sea water is collected from the Seto-uchi inland sea, infused with seaweed to develop the "unami", and then processed by cooking in an iron kettle, put into a centrifuge, and finally, cooked over an open fire while stirring constantly. The salt is worth over $40 per pound.
· More on This Type of Salt
Next: Rarest Pair of JeansMore Photo Galleries:
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Sam Morris, AP
Rarest Jeans
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the most valuable jeans are an original pair of Levi Strauss & Co 501 jeans aged over 115 years old which were sold to a collector in Japan for $60,000 through eBay in 2005. Quite rare indeed considering a new pair sells for $46.
· More on Sought-After Jeans
Next: Rarest Baseball CardsMore Photo Galleries:
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Mary Godleski, AP
Rarest Baseball Cards
In February 2007, a "near mint-mint" Honus Wagner sold for $2.3 million, at that point probably the highest sale for a baseball card in history. Then, in September 2007, the same card was reportedly sold again. This time for $2.8 million to a private collector. The card in question, aT206 Honus Wagner, was made by the American Tobacco Company in 1909. It has been called the "Mona Lisa of baseball cards."
· More on Why It's So Rare
Next: Rarest AlbumsMore Photo Galleries:
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Amazon
Rarest Record Albums
In 1999, Mark David Chapman's copy of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's album Double Fantasy, autographed by Lennon five hours before Chapman fatally shot him, sold. The album had been found in a flower planter outside Lennon's home, at the scene of his murder. The record bears the forensically-certified fingerprints of Chapman, and was even used as evidence in the case against him. Price tag: $460,000. Or was it?
· What Record Really Sold For
Next: Rarest Real EstateMore Photo Galleries:
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AFP/Getty Images
Rarest Real Estate
At the intersection of location, exclusivity and history you find some of the rarest pieces of real estate. With that criteria, Luxist.com blogger's pick for the rarest piece of real estate currently on the market is Bran's castle, the castle in Transylvania that inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula, which is expected to fetch upwards of $135 million.
· More Rare Real Estate Picks
Next: Rarest HorsesMore Photo Galleries:
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Rick Rycroft, AP
Rarest Horses
The Sorraia Horse is said to be the direct descendant of the wild Iberian horse but only 200 currently remain living in South Iberia. The Tiger Horse is a rare breed which is said to have existed in Ancient Spain and the beginning of the New World. Rare in terms of its abilities and characteristics, is the Lipizzaner (pic. left). Bred for its military prowess, one of these animals can sell for up to $100,000.
· More on Rare Horse Breeds
Next: Rarest BooksMore Photo Galleries:
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Michael Probst, AP
Rarest Books
There are countless rare books in the world, but by most experts' standards the rarest of them all is the Gutenberg Bible. It was the first book ever printed back in 1456, and although several hundred copies were originally printed finding a complete first edition would net you $25-$35 million. In today's market single pages alone go for $25K each, and several years ago just 1 volume (it's a 2 volume set) sold for $5.5M.
· More Extremely Rare Books
Next: Rarest NecklacesMore Photo Galleries:
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Steve Finn, Getty Images
Rarest Necklaces
In the world of rare necklaces, a couple million dollars doesn't get you much. Even ten million dollars is cheap for these babies. The most expensive necklace may likely be one built around the Blue Empress, a rare natural blue diamond. The pear-shaped diamond weighs about 14 carats. It is set in 18k white gold and surrounded with white diamonds. It's estimated to be worth $16 million.
· Rare Necklace Runner-Up
Next: Rarest WineMore Photo Galleries:
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Richard Draw, AP
Rarest Wine
One of the rarest bottles of wine ever sold was purchased by Christopher Forbes for a mere £105,000 ($160,000). It was an unmarked green glass bottle with the inscription of "1787 Lafitte Th. J." (now known as Lafite and thought to be owned by Thomas Jefferson), found behind a wall in Paris.
· Details on More Rare Bottles
Next: Rarest VasesMore Photo Galleries:
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Rarest Vases
In 2006, a 20-inch high blue and white Yuan Dynasty vase fetched over $2 million. That sounds rare but at the end of that year, casino owner Steve Wynn paid even more for a rare vase. The small copper red and white porcelain vase, is a 14th century Ming vase (pic. left) decorated in scrolling flowers. It is from the exceptionally rare Hongwu period and went for around $10.9 million, making it the world's most expensive.
· Surprising Place Wynn Put It
Next: Rarest CoinsMore Photo Galleries:
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Sotheby's/Getty Images
Rarest Coins
As a general rule the more rare a coin is the more it's worth, so what's the rarest coin ever? It's a debatable subject as not all experts always agree, but if the Double Eagle isn't at the top of that list it's sure near it. Back in 2002 the only Double Eagle coin left to be in private hands (or so everybody thought) sold for $7.9 million dollars.
· More on Other Rare Coins
Next: Rarest FoodMore Photo Galleries:
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Rarest Food
Served in China for over 400 years, the primary ingredient in bird's nest soup or "Caviar of the East" is saliva nests built by cave swifts. Among one of the most expensive animal products consumed by humans it is believed to aid digestion, raise libido, and even alleviate asthma as it is dissolved in water to create a gelatinous soup. In Hong Kong, a bowl costs up to $30. Red version can cost $10K per gram.
· Is Camel Hump Tasty?
Next: Rarest Travel TripMore Photo Galleries:
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Reuters
Rarest Travel Trips
What is the rarest trip? There's no real consensus on this, but Luxist.com blogger Deidre Woodward says that the trek to summit Mount Everest still remains among the rarest trips in the world. But even this has become something that is accessible to more people. In two months and for around $60,000 you can join a group and make the attempt of a lifetime.
· Rare Trips Money Can Buy
Next: How 2008 Presidential Candidates LiveMore Photo Galleries:
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Lifestyles of the 2008 Presidential Candidates
As the candidates tour the country trying to inform Americans of their political views, take a look at how they live their private lives. We peek at their homes, cars & more.
Barack Obama, Democrat
Obama has a large, stately brick home on Chicago's South Side with an estimated value of $1.9 million. It is a "96-year-old Georgian revival home that has four fireplaces ... and a 1,000-bottle wine cellar."
More on Obama & OthersMore Money & Finance:
Rare Thrift Store Finds?
You can score some rare finds for cheap at your local thrift store. But not everything is a great deal. Here's what to snap up what to avoid.
