Here’s a bit of news for those of you inclined to the ghoulish… CBS news reported today that the burial vault above the lovely Marilyn Monroe did not sell at auction again. This is the second time in recent years the vault directly above the sexpot has been put up for sale on the auction block.
The vault up for sale is currently occupied by a Mr. Richard Poncher who died in 1976. If the burial vault above Marilyn was actually purchased in auction, Mr. Poncher’s remains would be moved to a nearby burial plot. The Poncher family is trying to sell the vault so his widow can pay off the mortgage on her Beverly Hills home. The family was hoping to receive around 4 million dollars for the coveted resting place next to Ms. Monroe.
However, Hugh Hefner bought the adjoining vault back in 1992 for $75,000. Which makes me wonder how the family of Mr. Poncher expects to make millions on the sale of the Mr. Ponchers vault just 17 years later?
The Poncher family is now reportedly weighing their options and for now Mr. Poncher is still resting above America’s favorite blonde bombshell.
Now that’s a weird bit of news!
I read another news report after I wrote this post- apparently a Japanese man bid $4.6 million dollars for the crypt- but could not pay for it. That is kind of surprising- in these high profile auctions- bidders are pre-approved to bid- so that he could not pay for it is surprising. When a high bidder does not pay- the seller has two options: auction the item again or give the next highest bidder a second chance offer. The second chance offer is the more desirable option if the item goes high. There is never a guarantee the next auction held will go for as much and the seller will avoid more fees to auction the item. It gets even stranger in this story… the Poncher family offered a second chance to the next highest bidder and then bidders and none of them took them up on it- even though they had bid on the crypt. The opening bid on the vault above her was $500,000 and there were 21 bids- yet none of the bidders have made good on the purchase. It seems that people want to be buried next to her and then again back out of it for some reason. Very strange stuff indeed!
I don’t know that I’d want to be interred right where someone else was interred, and then moved. That’s some bad mojo.
Hey Dan- There is also a recent news article that states, Mrs. Poncher claims her husband never seemed interested in MM. However, when he was close to death he said he wanted to be buried face down towards Marilyn. The family apparently complied with his last wishes… so now they are going to pull a guy out who has been laying face down on Marilyn Monroe for the last 35 years. Sounds like bad mojo too me! whatever that means… :0P
How bizarre! You would think someone would want it, although it is a bit creepy.
Thanks for dropping by Diana- I think people want it but when push comes to shove they don’t want to pay that much.
MM is agreat diva