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Public Pledges Big Bucks for Jesse Jackson Jr.’s Stuff

There’s still a full week to go before any of the prospective buyers will be able to decisively claim a piece of disgraced Illinois Democrat Jesse L. Jackson Jr.’s life, but early bidding bodes well for federal authorities hoping to recoup $750,000 in grossly mismanaged campaign funds.

Jackson and his wife, Sandi, are both facing serious jail time — 30 months and 12 months, respectively — for money misspent on everything from luxury items to everyday toiletries.

Online auctioneers Gaston & Sheehan on Tuesday offered up a baker’s dozen of the pair’s former belongings via public auction, a menagerie of random memorabilia designed to fetch at least a couple of thousand dollars (minus now-missing Lot 1007).

Here’s what was leading the bidding war toward the end of the first full day:

1. Framed Michael Jackson poster: $1,360; opening bid: $300

 

2. Mink-trimmed ladies’ red cashmere cape: $955; opening bid: $215

 

3. Black, mink-covered ladies’ jacket: $569; opening bid: $260

So, what’s looking like the least lucrative collectible?

A set of Bruce Lee pics  framed around the action star’s autograph; this piece has, at least so far, not appreciated at the rate (current bid: $430) the feds were perhaps hoping for (opening bid: $300). What? No one understands Lee’s contributions to Kung Fu and cinema?

Were the feds to cash out right now, they’d more than double their profit, raking in roughly $7,200 on goods they valued at about $2,800.

But bidders still have until Sept. 26 to scrape together whatever loot they can in order to bring a piece of Jackson’s horribly crumbled kingdom home with them.

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