Josephine Baker, Cheetah – $10,000
Josephine Baker, a French singer, actress, civil rights activist and dancer was in love with a cheetah the moment she saw one and decided to get a $10,000 cash in hand to pay for one. While she roamed the streets of her home country France, she was certainly the center of attention as everyone kept staring at the amazement they saw.
One of the most interesting parts of this story is the name she gave her spotted cat, Chiquita (which in Spanish, means small). It sure takes quite a bit to maintain this exotic creature but Baker doesn’t mind as she is striving to make sure her friend is always happy.