Auctioneer unearths Monroe gift to JFK
Published October 6th, 2005
Bill Panagopulos is excited about his latest find – a gold Rolex watch given to John F. Kennedy by Marilyn Monroe on the night of the famous 1962 Madison Square Garden gala at which Monroe seductively sang “Happy Birthday, Mr. President.”"It’s undoubtedly the most controversial presidential relic ever offered,” said Panagopulos, founder of Alexander Autographs, an auction house in the Cos Cob section of Greenwich.
His is a small operation, but over the past decade Panagopulos’ auction house has garnered the attention of serious collectors and consignors from around the world. And thanks to the “Marilyn” watch, the business has captured national headlines.
The watch is valued at $40,000 to $60,000, but the sale price won’t be known until it hits the auction block next week, Panagopulos said.
