Monroe's Gift for Kennedy Auctioned at $120,000

Alexander Autographs auction house sold on Saturday the gift that Marilyn Monroe gave to President John F. Kennedy for his birthday in 1962.

The gold Rolex was sold for the amount of $120,000 to an East Coast collector, whose name wasn't revealed.

The watch had been estimated at between $40,000 and $60,000. The final battle was held between a European competitor and the happy American winner, raising the gift's price at $120,000.

The inscription on the watch said: "Jack, With love as always from Marilyn May 29th 1962".

The gift came accompanied with a poem, written on a small piece of paper, titled "A Heartfelt Plea on Your Birthday", which reads: "Let lovers breathe their sighs/ And roses bloom and music sound/ Let passion burn on lips and eyes/ And pleasures merry world go round/ Let golden sunshine flood the sky/ And let me love/ Or let me die!"


The same night she sang "Happy Birthday for you" for Kennedy, Monroe gave the present to aide Kenneth O'Donnell.
It has been reported that, when Kennedy saw it, he told O'Donnell to "get rid of it".