At the end of this coming March, a crypt near the final resting place of the legendary Marilyn Monroe, in Los Angeles’ Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary, will be auctioned off.
The three-day bidding event will begin on March 28th and welcomes potential buyers. Other things like “Property From the Playboy Archives and Hugh G. Hefner Foundation and Property From the Life and Career of Marilyn Monroe,” will also be offered for sale according to Julien’s Auctions, the organization that will be hosting the bidding.
Hefner, who put Monroe on the cover of a playboy magazine in 1953, is interred in the same mausoleum. The Playboy mogul bought the crypt next to hers in 1992 for about $75,000, claiming that “Spending eternity next to Marilyn is an opportunity too sweet to pass up,” and was consigned to the grave 25 years later.
The winning bid for the auction is projected to be between $200,000 and $400,000, and will grant the recipient a space in the Corridor of Memories identified as Wall B, Space C-3, which is a row above and four spaces to the left of where Monroe was laid to rest in August of 1962.
Monroe reportedly used to talk about wanting a comfortable and quiet resting spot away from the bright lights of Hollywood- although, with all the new company, it’s debatable how quiet the crypt will remain.
The Mortuary where she lies is also occupied by her “Some Like it Hot” co-star, Jack Lemmon, along with other well-known stars such as Farrah Fawcett, Ryan O’Neal, and Natalie Wood.
Julien’s Auctions stated that the crypt being emptied in March is part of a collection of 1,000 artifacts that were taken from the Playboy Headquarters and Mansion, in addition to “personal property consisting of film wardrobe, photographs, documents and ephemera from the incandescent life of Marilyn Monroe.”
The other items to be auctioned will soon be listed, and registration in advance is required to participate in the bidding.
