Few individuals have achieved as stratospheric levels of success as the late, great Michael Jackson . Often regarded as one of the most culturally significant and influential artists of all time, the so-called “King of Pop” ostensibly lived a life of abundance and luxury, fuelled by his phenomenal fame and fortune. Jackson earned millions of dollars through his long and impressive career; in fact, even years after his passing he was still bringing in millions in revenue. As per Forbes , in 2018 alone the estate of the late singer raked in some US$400 million, making him the highest-paid deceased star of that year. At the time of his death in 2009, however, the Thriller singer was in fact in millions of dollars of debt. In the wake of his tragic passing, much of his possessions were put up for auction, giving the public a rare glimpse into the King of Pop’s often outrageous spending habits. The Oscars slap aftermath: what will happen to Will Smith’s career? So how did Jackson spend his fortune? We look at some of the most extravagant, unconventional and unexpected purchases made during his lifetime. 1. Neverland Ranch Arguably the most famous purchase Jackson ever made was the vast California property that would ultimately become known as the Neverland Ranch. In addition to the roughly 1,100 hectare (2,700-acre) ranch being Jackson’s home for many years, it also featured his own private amusement park, petting zoo and even three railways. According to Rolling Stone , the music legend bought the estate for US$17 million in 1988 and spent an estimated US$35 million extra on the upgrades. Jackson still owned Neverland at the time of his death, but by 2015 the property had been put up for sale with an initial asking price of US$100 million. It later sold in 2020 for way less, at US$22 million, to billionaire Ron Burkle. 2. The animals Over the years, Jackson amassed a large collection of animals and exotic pets. The documentary Searching for Michael Jackson’s Zoo with Ross Kemp recently aired on ITV investigating the fate of the Neverland Ranch’s zoo animals. In addition to Bubbles the chimp – Jackson’s most famous furry friend – Neverland Ranch was home to an array of animals. At one time, the Jackson’s zoo was believed to contain as many as 50 different species, including giraffes, tigers, alligators and even elephants. Who is the richest Pink Floyd member? The band’s net worths, ranked 3. The amusement park and arcade Another one of Jackson’s pricey purchases that visitors to his Neverland Ranch would have encountered was the veritable amusement park that consisted of a Ferris wheel, roundabout, bumper cars, rollercoasters and even a large, fully equipped arcade. The arcade, which was located in the ranch’s pool house, featured a massive selection of arcade games and rides that guests could enjoy. 4. Movie memorabilia Jackson loved films. The pop megastar bought the 1939 Gone with the Wind Oscar award for best picture for a reported US$1.5 million, but in 2016, after his death, it was reported missing. SOLD for $44,800! A pair of original ‘scissorhand’ wardrobe glove props, as worn by Johnny Depp in Edward Scissorhands. Sold today in our “Hollywood Sci-Fi, Action, Fantasy and More Auction” taking place in Beverly Hills and live online at Julien’s Live. pic.twitter.com/BwIEOG2KNy — Julien's Auctions (@JuliensAuctions) April 30, 2021 Jackson spent substantial amounts of cash buying a range of other memorabilia from famous films. Perhaps one of the most unexpected pieces from this collection was the actual set of scissorhand gloves worn by Johnny Depp in the film Edward Scissorhands . After Jackson’s passing, the gloves were put up for auction and were said to have gone for a value of up to US$5,300. 5. Life-size superhero action figures Of the most obscure and unconventional items to have been bought by Jackson, his range of life-size superhero figurines certainly makes the cut. Included in his crime-fighting collection were statues of Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and even Bruce Lee. There was also a villainous and life-size Darth Vader. Want more stories like this? Follow STYLE on Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and Twitter .