Madison news - Would you pay $75,000 for Gaga's tea cup?

It might look like an ordinary red china tea cup but this seemingly commonplace household item has the potential to help thousands suffering from HIV AIDS.

The cup was used by pop icon Lady Gaga during her 2011 visit to Australia and is being auctioned off tomorrow to raise funds for ACON, formally known as the AIDS Council of NSW.

The cups claim to fame is that it was used by the singer in her dressing room before and after an appearance on Nine’s A Current Affair. ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill says the unique item could fetch a small fortune.

“A similar tea cup used by Lady Gaga during a tour in Japan was recently auctioned off and raised over $75,000,” he says. While he’s not sure the item will generate the same dollar figure in Australia, Parkhill points out that Gaga’s dedicated Little Monsters might well bet high for this piece of music memorabilia.

While $75,000 might seem extravagant for an impractical item, it’s not the first time a commonplace object touched by a star has been auctioned for a fortune. The dress Marilyn Monroe wore when she sung “Happy Birthday Mr. President” sold for US $1.3 million, while Justin Timberlake’s French toast (barely touched by the singer during a breakfast radio interview) fetched US $1025.

Tell us, how much would you spend on a tea cup used by Lady Gaga? Fans can place their bids on eBay today and have until midnight on Saturday 1 December to win the coveted piece.

Sophie Miura is madison’s health and feature writer