Elvis' hair sells for $NZ19K at US auction

A clump of hair believed to have been trimmed from Elvis Presley's head when he joined the Army in 1958 has sold for $US15,000 ($NZ19,800) at a Chicago auction house.

Also among the 200 Elvis-related items up for grabs at the Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago on Sunday was a shirt that once belonged to the King which sold for $US52,000 ($NZ68,700).

The buyer of the hair paid $15,000 plus an additional $3,300 ($NZ4,300) in auction house fees.

Other items on offer included scarves, photos from the reception of Presley's 1967 wedding to Priscilla, Christmas cards he sent and lots of records. Elvis dolls and Elvis Pez dispensers numbered among the memorabilia.

All the items had belonged to the late Gary Pepper, who ran a fan club and was a friend. Pepper, who had cerebral palsy, died in 1980.