Artifacts Owned by ‘The Mob' Go to Auction in Beverly Hills

Movies, books, plays, dramatic recreations, podcasts, and novels tell the tales of some of the most infamous figures of the 20th century, people like Bugsy Siegel, Al Capone, and Charles "Lucky" Luciano.

But the real-life items owned by these well-known gangsters and other major players are also part of the larger story, one that will be told when "The Mob: A History of Organized Crime's Most Notorious Artifacts" goes to auction in Beverly Hills on Sunday, Aug. 28.

If you visited Jay Bloom's Las Vegas Mob Experience at the Tropicana Hotel while in Las Vegas in recent years, you may recognize many of the personal effects on the block at the Julien's Auctions event. The happening will feature jewelry, photographs, personal firearms, and home movies, with hundreds of artifacts going to the highest bidders.

Some of the historical and infamous relics that bidders will encounter?

A letter written by Al Capone while incarcerated at Alcatraz, addressed to his son, will be one of the central pieces at the auction, as well as diamond earrings owned by Virginia Hill, Meyer Lansky's bowties, and some ceramic sculptures presented by Bugsy Siegel to his guests on the opening night of the Flamingo Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas in 1946.

The Al Capone missive is expected to fetch between $30,000 to $50,000 says the Julien's Auctions staff.

"From the good to the bad to the ugly, this fascinating collection of items taken out of the shadows and ripped from the headlines offers an intriguing look at America's most infamous and colorful underworld figures of organized crime and their legacy which is still felt today," said Martin Nolan, Executive Director of Julien's Auctions.

"These artifacts, almost all never before seen at auction, chronicle the rise and fall of the powerful mob era which has long passed but will never be forgotten, as the mob continues to grip our imagination and pop culture from films such as 'The Godfather' to 'Goodfellas,' that have been inspired by Mafia folklore and history."

The event, which is part of the larger "Gangsters, Cowboys, Politicians, and Astronauts" auction, will also include artifacts from the Kennedys, Harry Truman, and the era of space exploration.

A limited-edition auction catalog is available for $50; order yours here.

Pictured: "Anthony Spilotro's personally owned Revere Model 40 8mm wind-up movie camera that contains a roll of undeveloped film still inside" (left) and Meyer Lansky's address book (right).