For 40 years, one of Elvis Presley's private jets has been rusting away in the desert. Now the no longer airworthy machine is being auctioned off and actually finds a buyer. For the equivalent of 240,000 euros, he can now call the plane his own.
One of Elvis Presley's private jets has found a new owner. The battered 1962 Lockheed 1329 Jetstar sat in the desert at Roswell International Air Center in New Mexico for nearly 40 years. Now the plane was auctioned for $ 260,000 (about 240,000 euros).
Bids started at $100,000, according to US media reports, and slowly increased until they reached the final sale price. It is said to have come from a telephone bidder whose name was not disclosed. According to "People" magazine, Priscilla Presley followed the auction.
According to the auction site, Elvis Presley had purchased the plane on December 22, 1976 for $840,000. He used it, along with two other jets from his personal fleet, to travel to concerts and performances around the country. The plane could seat up to nine people, and the red velvet couch and passenger seats that swivel and recline can still be seen today. Wood paneling and fittings with gold and a VCR and tape recorder were also part of the equipment.
Elvis Presley died in August 1977. Priscilla Presley, who was married to the famous singer from 1967 to 1973, had to cope with another stroke of fate: Their daughter Lisa Marie Presley died on January 12 at the age of 54.
