Even for billionaires, some purchases are splurges.
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From skyscraper houses to priceless works of art, the world's elite buy ridiculously expensive things to fuel their passions, showcase their wealth or spend the money just because they can. Whether it's the most expensive thing they own or just the most exotic, the splurges of the world's wealthiest are always interesting.
Click through to see some of the world's richest billionaires -- and their amazing toys.
Steve Cohen's 14-Foot Preserved Shark
Cost: $8 million to $12 million
Plenty of rich people have impressive fish tanks, but that's child's play compared to laying claim to your own pickled shark.
In 2004, billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen bought what just might be the world's most unique piece of contemporary art: a 14-foot tiger shark preserved with a combination of alcohol and formaldehyde. Originally commissioned from the artist Damien Hirst for $93,000 in 1992 by art mogul Charles Saatchi, Cohen bought the piece -- officially called "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living" -- more than a decade later for an undisclosed amount, which New York magazine reported to be between $8 million and $12 million.
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Larry Ellison's Hawaiian Island
Cost: $300 million
For the richest of the rich, even the grandest mansion simply won't do. For Oracle founder Larry Ellison, home is the Hawaiian island of Lanai, which he picked up in 2012 for a cool $300 million, according to CNBC.
His tropical paradise includes 90,000 acres, two Four Seasons resorts and a town with a population of 3,300. Considering a stay in one of those resorts? You'll certainly vacation in luxury, but it will cost you $7,000 a night.
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William Koch's Billy the Kid Photo
Cost: $2.3 million
William Koch is not who we typically think of when we refer to the Koch brothers -- Charles and David Koch are the billionaire brother duo famous for their Koch Industries empire and massive political influence.
William is, however, a third extremely wealthy Koch brother who's also a big-time buff of Wild West history. In 2011, he scooped up the gem of the genre when he paid $2.3 million for the world's only authenticated photograph of legendary outlaw Billy the Kid.
Ken Griffin's Pair of Paintings
Cost: $500 million
Ken Griffin, hedge fund billionaire, is a known art aficionado, but the jewel of his collection is a pair of abstract impressionist paintings he bought at the same time at auction, one by Willem de Kooning and the other by Jackson Pollock. In total, he dropped half a billion dollars on the purchase, which the Chicago Tribune called "one of the largest private art deals ever."
Bill Gates' Scientific Scribbles by Leonardo Da Vinci
Cost: $30 million
Bill Gates and Leonardo da Vinci have a lot in common: They're both math geniuses who also changed history. It's only fitting, then, that the Microsoft founder would be interested in the musings of the original Renaissance man.
In 1994, Gates spent $30.8 million to own the Codex Leicester, a 72-page manuscript that da Vinci compiled in the early 16th century, complete with the master polymath's diagrams, writings, sketches and ideas for future inventions. Adjusted for inflation, Gates spent the equivalent of over $63 million in 2023.
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The Sultan of Brunei's Car Collection
Cost: $5 billion
It's good to be a sultan. Need proof? Just take a look at the collection of cars owned by the Sultan of Brunei, who rules a country smaller than the state of Delaware.
His legendary fleet is the largest private collection in the world and contains between 5,000 and 7,000 of the world's rarest, finest, best performing and most expensive cars. Top Speed values the collection at a combined $5 billion -- at least. Among the finest gems are 21 Lamborghinis, 452 Ferraris and 604 Rolls Royces.
Prince Hans Adam II's Fancy Furniture
Cost: $36 million
In 2004, Prince Hans Adam II of the tiny nation of Liechtenstein dropped $36 million on a piece of furniture that you probably won't find in Ikea. Dating to the 18th century, the Florentine ebony piece known as the Badminton Cabinet is adorned with precious stones like lapis lazuli, agate and amethyst quartz. When the prince bought the chest, the purchase broke its own record. The Badminton Cabinet was already the world's priciest piece of furniture after selling for $16.59 million in 1990.
Jeff Bezos' Newspaper
Cost: $250 million
The vaunted Washington Post, the paper that took down a presidency, was controlled locally by the Graham family for 80 years -- until Jeff Bezos decided he wanted it. In 2013, the billionaire Amazon founder bought one of the world's most influential publications for $250 million in what The Wall Street Journal called an "out-of-the-blue deal."
Three years later, Bezos seemed to confirm that assessment when he told Fortune that he "did no due diligence" and simply accepted the first number the seller proposed. While there have been some successes for the Post since Bezos' acquisition, there have also been challenges and it is not clear if the acquisition was ultimately a good or bad move for Bezos.
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9. Maxim Viktorov's Violin
Cost: $3.9 million
In 2008, one of the rarest instruments on earth played music for the first time in seven decades. The audience was what the Guardian called "the cream of Moscow society." They were the guests of Maxim Viktorov, a wealthy lawyer, darling of Russia's ruling class and avid violin collector. That night, a maestro played Viktorov's new Guarneri del Gesu, one of the 150 only surviving violins made by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesu during the 18th century. They are considered the only violins more prized than the remaining 600 masterpieces crafted by Antonio Stradivari.
10. Jocelyn Wildenstein's Plastic Surgery
Cost: $4 million
In her prime, Swiss socialite Jocelyn Wildenstein hunted with a Saudi arms dealer, dated a European filmmaker, explored Africa and was awarded $2.5 billion in a historically epic divorce. Her true passion, however, is written all over her face -- literally. Wildenstein is now in her 70s, and her bizarre and self-inflicted appearance is an often-cited cautionary tale about excessive and obsessive plastic surgery. According to the Mirror, Wildenstein spent $4 million throughout the course of her decades long physical transformation.
11. Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter
Cost: $44 billion
In a stunning move that left financial experts scratching their heads, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk made headlines by spending a whopping $44 billion on acquiring Twitter. While Musk is undoubtedly known for his ambitious ventures, this particular decision seems to be an ill-advised move that raises eyebrows among investors and analysts alike.
Given the unpredictable nature of the social media landscape and Twitter's ongoing struggles to combat misinformation and user engagement issues, critics argue that pouring such an astronomical sum into a platform with uncertain long-term prospects may not be the wisest use of Musk's resources. Since then, he has made a number of erratic moves. One of the most notable is dropping the Twitter name and branding altogether, renaming the platform "X."
Opinions on Musk's changes to Twitter vary. Some may view them as bold and innovative, while others question their wisdom. Ultimately, only time will tell what the long-term impact of these changes will be.
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12. Carlos Slim's Museum in Mexico
Cost: $800 million
There are two types of art collectors: Those who own art collections and those who own their own museums. With a net worth of $71.4 billion, telecom tycoon Carlos Slim is Mexico's richest man. In 2011 he was the richest man in the world. That, according to NPR, is the year he opened the Museo Soumaya -- an $800 million, six-story, metallic and windowless art museum -- to showcase his legendary collection. In total, Slim owns more than 66,000 pieces, including some of Europe and Mexico's most priceless works of art.
13. Clive Palmer's Titanic
Cost: $425 million to $567 million
Some rich people settle for luxury yachts. But for Australian businessman and politician Clive Palmer, only the most famous ship in history will do. The Titanic, however, has been at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean since it sank in 1912. Not easily swayed, Palmer commissioned "Titanic 2," a nearly exact replica of the doomed nine-deck White Star Line ship -- right down to the grand staircase featured in the 1997 movie, but updated for modern travel. Also important to note: "Titanic 2" has enough lifeboats for everyone on board.
Laura Beck contributed to the reporting for this article.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The 13 Craziest Things These Billionaires Spend Their Money On
