---
title: This Purse Sold for $300,000 in a Record-Setting Auction
description: The white crocodile hide Hermès‬ Birkin handbag sold for $300,000 at auction and went to an unknown buyer in Hong Kong.
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  - name: Denver Nicks
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published: '2016-05-31T16:22:37.000Z'
modified: '2016-05-31T16:22:37.000Z'
section: Lifestyle
tags:
  - Auction
  - Birkin
  - Christie's
  - Crocodile
  - handbag
  - Hermès
  - Hong Kong
  - luxury
  - pubdesk
  - purse
word_count: 133
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![HONG-KONG-CHRISTIES](https://img.money.com/2016/05/gettyimages-528104548.jpg)
*A Matte White Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Birkin with 18K gold and diamond hardware -- one of the most valuable handbags in the world -- sits on display during a preview at Christies in Hong Kong on May 4, 2016.*

A Birkin handbag made of white crocodile skin is likely the most expensive purse in the world, after it [went](http://www.cnbc.com/2016/05/31/birkin-bag-sets-new-price-record.html?utm_content=buffer45bff&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer) for more than $300,000 in an auction at Christie’s in Hong Kong on Monday.

The matte-white crocodile-hide handbag went to an unknown buyer for $300,168 -- well above Christie’s initial price estimate of between $194,000 and $259,000. The handbag is believed to have fetched a higher price than any bag ever sold at auction, reports [CNBC](http://www.cnbc.com/2016/05/31/birkin-bag-sets-new-price-record.html?utm_content=buffer45bff&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer).

Himalayan Birkins—so named because the hide of a Nilo crocodile is laboriously dyed to create a gray and white coloring reminiscent of snow-capped mountains—are some of the most sought-after purses on earth. They include hardware made of 18-karat white gold and diamonds.

Experts believe the luxury manufacturer Hermés makes only or two of the purses every year.

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