Michael Jackson memorabilia goes under the hammer

Personal items belonging to Michael Jackson and his family are set be auctioned at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas next month.

Among the items up for sale are Michael Jackson’s fedora hat, a gold record for his ‘Thriller’ album, handwritten lyrics and even ballet shows once worn by a young Janet Jackson. Also included in the auction, which will simultaneously go live on eBay, is a test-pressing of the Jackson 5's classic single 'I Want You Back'.

The collection was bought some years ago in a bankruptcy case, and gained notoriety in 2005 when some items were used as evidence in the Michael Jackson child molestation case.

Jackson, currently a resident of Las Vegas, is reportedly unhappy about the auction, and is thought to be planning legal action to halt the sale.


--By our New York staff.
Find out more about NME.