The red and black leather jacket worn by Michael Jackson in his “Thriller” video went under the hammer for $1.8 million on Sunday.

The jacket has “Love Michael Jackson” written on the sleeve, and a dedication in the lining to his long-time costume designers, to whom he gave it.

The buyer was identified as Milton Verret, a commodities trader from Austin Texas, who plans to have the jacket tour and be displayed at children’s hospitals around the globe to raise money for their children’s charities.

The auctioneer described the jacket as “among the most recognizable and famous garments of the 20th century,” saying it sparked a 1980s fashion craze when it was copied and sold to adoring Jackson fans worldwide.

“The black and red style of the jacket became so identifiable with Jackson’s groundbreaking (video) that he continued to use jackets of the same design when performing the song ‘Thriller’ for the duration of his career,” it said.

The jacket is one of two which Jackson used during the ghoulishly iconic video, the other being on display in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

Source: AFPrelaxnews