Items owned by gangster 'Whitey' Bulger up for auction

BOSTON (AP) — A rat-shaped pencil holder and skull ring are just two of the hundreds of items belonging to gangster James "Whitey" Bulger to hit the auction block.

The court-ordered auction in Bulger's South Boston hometown is an attempt to raise money for the families of his victims, including 20 people killed by Bulger and his gang.

The Boston Globe reports Bulger's boxing mannequin was the first item up for bid at Saturday's auction at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. It sparked a bidding war before selling for $4,900. The rat-shaped mug sold for $3,600.

More mundane items were also available, revealing Bulger's domestic life in hiding with his longtime girlfriend, Catherine Greig.

The 86-year-old Bulger is serving a life sentence for a host of charges, including participating in 11 murders.