A dreadlock from the head of the late Bob Marley is expected to fetch around £25,000 ($46k CAD) in an auction, which is currently underway.
Listed online via auction house Invaluable, the "scarce piece of Reggae and popular culture history" is approximately 1.5 inches in length and comes with an accompanying autograph.
According to the listing, the "impossibly rare" hair "is the first genuine example of Bob Marley’s hair to come up for sale in 20 years." So apparently more of Bob's hair has been sold in the past.
The lock was acquired by the consignor as a teenager at the filming of Top of the Pops at BBC’s Television Centre in London on Thursday, June 22, 1978.
About how they acquired the item, the consignor says, "Back in the day you were permitted to get on stage at Top of the Pops with the bands. After Bob Marley had finished singing, myself and a friend went up onto the platform where he was performing. He was chuckling away and I asked if I could take off a piece of his hair. He just kept nodding and chuckling and appeared amused by it so I twisted a piece of his dreadlock off. And he of course gave me his autograph as well. I’ve kept it in my autograph album ever since."
The autograph was written on paper in blue ballpoint pen and reads, "To Andrea, Love Bob Marley."
Also included is a Top of the Pops promotional flyer from the show taping, which, according to a handwritten note on the back, also included performances by Black Sabbath, Showaddywaddy, Heatwave, Thin Lizzy and "unfortunately" Legs + Co.
The opening bid for the dreadlock is set at £5,000 GBP ($9,230 CAD), with the auction ending next Thursday, April 9.
See the full listing and place your bid here.