Michael Jackson’s original ‘Thriller’ jackets from 1983 is available to buy now via an online auction.The red jacket with black trim, red lining, ribbed shoulders and collar, stud fasteners, with belts to waist and sleeves, was originally owned by Jackson’s manager Frank DiLeo from 1983 to 1989.It was then sold at Sotheby’s in 1993, and is now available for bids until April 12 via the ‘Gotta Have Rock and Roll’ memorabilia site here.The minimum bid for the item is $100,000 (£79,000), and it is listed as having an estimated sale value of $300,000-$500,000 (£240,000-£400,000).The item’s listing states that Jackson wore the jacket for promotional events, although it is not the particular article worn by the singer during the shooting of the ‘Thriller’ video.That jacket itself went to auction in Los Angeles in 2011, just two year’s after Jackson’s death. It was sold to the Texan gold trader Milton Verret for $1.8million, who said he intended to use the jacket to raise money for children’s hospitals around the world.Late last year, Jackson’s estate claimed that over two dozen unreleased master tapes of the late singer’s music that were up for auction from the same site were “unquestionably stolen”.The items, claimed to date back to 1994, were estimated to sell for up to $4000 (£3100).However, Jackson estate attorney Jonathan Steinsapir ordered Gotta Have Rock and Roll to “cease and desist from any and all efforts to further auction these tapes” and immediately return them.”According to the letter, Steinsapir wrote: “Neither Michael Jackson nor his record company, Sony Music Entertainment, ever sold or gave away master tapes from his recording sessions at The Hit Factory (or anywhere else).
