What is the most expensive item in the world?

The most expensive single item ever sold at auction was Paul Cezanne's "Two Card Players," a painting that fetched more than $265 million when it was sold in 2012. The painting was purchased by the royal family of Qatar as an addition to its massive private art collection.

Many of the most expensive items in the world are one-of-a-kind goods such as artwork and precious stones. However, jeweler Stuart Hughes has created several very expensive luxury items that are intended to be mass-produced, albeit in very limited runs. In 2013, Hughes offered, among other items, a $2.25 million flat screen television made out of rose gold and a $16 million diamond-studded iPhone.